♦ 26 August 2015 ♦ (For authorized members only) To have access to the private part of the website, including workshop presentations and other documentation, you need to log in. To obtain your login, first open the “identify” window by clicking on the “identify” button situated on the top part of your screen, and then click on the “Create an account” option. Fill the form in with the requested information. If you are an authorized member and have not previously received the activation key code, please ask for it on rabies.eu-rl@anses.fr. The account will be validated prior to first use. When your account is activated, you will have full access to the website.  

♦ 30 July 2015 ♦ [Relayed from the EFSA website] In a scientific opinion updating a previous report on oral vaccination against rabies, experts from EFSA’s Animal Health and Welfare Panel identify rabies control strategies, regular vaccinations and good cooperation among neighbouring countries as key measures. The update can be found here.  

♦ 29 August 2015 ♦ [Relayed from Eurobats website] The Bat Night takes place every year since 1997 in more than 30 countries on the last full weekend of August. Nature conservation agencies and NGOs from across Europe pass on information to the public about the way bats live and their needs with presentations, exhibitions and bat walks, often offering the opportunity to listen to bat sounds with the support of ultrasound technology. The 19th International Bat Night will take place on 29-30 August 2015. If you organise a bat event it is possible to register it on the Eurobats web-site free of charge.  

♦ 30 July 2015 ♦ [Relayed from the Eurobats website] EUROBATS has developed guidelines for assessing potential impacts of wind turbines on bats and for planning, construction and operation of wind turbines in accordance with the ecological requirements of bat populations. A first version of the guidelines was published in 2008, having the primary purpose to raise awareness amongst developers and planners of the need to consider bats and their roosts, migration routes and foraging areas. A large amount of research has been carried out into the impacts of wind turbines on bats and the increased knowledge urged for this revision of the document. The revised guidelines are applicable to larger wind farm developments in urban as well as in rural areas, on the land as well as offshore. Some case studies were included to illustrate implementation of mitigation measures in some countries. The EUROBATS Publication Series deals with various aspects of bat conservation - sometimes reporting of the implementation of the EUROBATS Agreement in the Range States, sometimes providing guidance on the best ways to protect bats and their habitats.  

♦ 23 July 2015 ♦ An annual activity questionnaire was sent to all National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) to collect and collate data on methods used and results of tests carried out in the European Community in the frame of rabies control programmes (Commission regulations (EU) No.737/2008 and No.415/2013). This document reviews the 2014 analysis performed in 24 NRLs from the European Union and in 6 NRLs from third countries involved in a rabies control programme. It is now available online.

♦ 30 July 2015 ♦ New! The EURL for rabies newsletter now exists in .pdf format! Previous newsletters issues can be read in a printable version in the private part of the EURL for rabies website. To access the private part, please register.  

♦ 27 July 2015 ♦ The Laboratory for Rabies is one of the three laboratories in Czech Republic. Since July 2007 the Laboratory is recognized as a National Reference Laboratory for Rabies. The laboratory is also an EU approved laboratory for serological testing regarding rabies in dogs, cats and ferrets in the frame of pets travel since 2005. Main laboratory routine activities are connected with rabies surveillance and rabies monitoring programmes. The monitoring programme in Czech Republic is conducted as a part of the oral vaccination campaigns which has been finished in autumn 2009. The equipment is sufficient for routine diagnostic procedures (FAT and MIT). See details of the laboratory  

♦ 30 June 2015 ♦ The presentations of the workshop for rabies 2015 are now online in the private part of the EURL for rabies website. Please remember that only registered scientists of our network can have access to this part of the website. Scientists without access can request an access to the private part via the “register” button and the “Create an account” link. Further to the workshop for rabies 2015, a report showing statistics and the results of the satisfaction questionnaires is also available online.  

♦ 01 July 2015 ♦ A total of 45 laboratories participated to the 2015 inter-laboratory test for rabies diagnosis. Results should now all be sent back and online questionnaires filled out. The data will be analysed during the summer and the report released during the autumn.  

♦ 06 July 2015 ♦ The Virology section is one of the five sections of the Animal Health Laboratory (AHL) at Veterinary Services of Cyprus. It is accredited since March 2008 to the terms of the ELOT EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Standard by  the Hellenic Accreditation System (ESYD) and Cyprus Accreditation Body (CYSAB). History of rabies and methods In 1930, two Rabies positive incidents were investigated in imported dogs under quarantine. Since then Rabies has never been diagnosed in domestic animals and wildlife or in humans on the island. Nevertheless, wild carnivores that are found dead, stray dogs caught crossing or roaming along the buffer zone, imported animals dying during the quarantine period or animals with symptoms consistent with rabies infection are always investigated using the methods of FAT and RT-PCR. Rabies team The rabies team is consisted of Dr. Apostolos Mazeris (DVM, PhD and head of the Virology section of AHL), Dr. Vasiliki Christodoulou (DVM, PhD) and 3 laboratory technicians:  Maria Nicolaou, Fotini Nicolaou, and Yiota Panayi working on rabies diagnosis and prevention.