♦ 30 July 2017 ♦ We wish you a nice summer time! The next issue of your newsletter will be released mid-September. Enjoy your holidays!  

♦ 13-14 June 2017 ♦ The beautiful city of Budapest welcomed the participants of the annual meeting organized by the EURL for rabies on 13 and 14 June. This meeting is mainly dedicated to the National Reference Laboratories of the European Union, but a total of 81 scientists from Europe but also from all over the world met for two half days of very constructive exchanges on various rabies topic. Additionally to the usual participation of rabies laboratories, the European Commission delegated two representatives with thorough knowledge of rabies in Europe. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) was also present, along with an FAO delegate and many officials from the National Food Chain Safety Office of Hungary (NEBIH). The scientific program covered a range of subjects divided into 3 sessions: Rabies updates and news, Laboratory Techniques for Rabies Diagnosis, and Techniques for Control of Oral Vaccination. Next workshop for rabies is planned for June 2018 in Brussels. Presentations can be found on the EURL website (private members only).  

♦ 30 July 2017 ♦ The results sent by the laboratories for each tested techniques are currently under analysis and the report will be release as usual at the end of the summer. A total of 48 laboratories participated this year to the test: 48 performed FAT, 30 RTCIT and 31 the conventional RT-PCR technique. As explained and discussed during 9th workshop for rabies, this year, for technical reasons, the Real Time RT-PCR technique will not be evaluated. From next year, the format of the inter laboratory test for rabies diagnosis will change in order to better follow the laboratories real work and needs.  

♦ 26 July 2017 ♦ The annual online activity questionnaire was submitted to all National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) early 2017 to collect and collate data on methods used and results of tests carried out in the Community in the frame of rabies control programmes (Commission regulations (EU) N° 737/2008 and N°415/2013). The report is available in the EURL for rabies website for private members only.  

♦ 14-15 June 2017 ♦ The meeting of the LRUE serology rabies followed directly the 9th workshop for rabies on 14 and 15 June and lasted one day and a half. This meeting is mainly dedicated to approved laboratories for the serology of pets as part of movements to and from the European Union. A total of 87 participants from all continents attended this meeting, as well as the international organizations already present during 9th workshop for rabies, the DGAL (French General Directorate for Food), the ANSES Quality Services Delegation and an ANSES-Fougères delegate. The agenda was divided into six sessions: Rabies serology proficiency test, ISO standards and statistics, EU serology regulation, Rabies serology for pets, Developments and methods in rabies serology, Rabies Serology for wildlife and Rabies serology and vaccines. All the conditions for success were gathered for both meetings: hotel and location, working environment, exceptional weather… Presentations can be found on the EURL website (private members only).  

♦ 30 July 2017 ♦ The annual rabies serology proficiency test is still ongoing. The last signed results must be sent before 31st July to Anses-Nancy. A total of 78 laboratories from all continents participated: 46 from Europe, 12 from América, 12 from Asia, 7 from Africa and 1 from Oceania. The report will be released before 31st October, as requested by the European Commission, in the new electronical format, as described in the Proficiency test for rabies serology Information sheet and the guideline.  

♦ 30 May 2017 ♦ [Relayed from www.anses.fr] “The ANSES newsletter contains all the Agency's latest information updates, upcoming events and recent publications, so that readers can stay up-to-date on all the current news. Subscription is free of charge and may be cancelled at any time. Subscribers will receive the newsletter by e-mail.” Follow this link to suscribe to the newsletter in English. To consult the latest issue of the Anses’newsletter, click here.  

♦ 09 June 2017 ♦ The Global alliance for rabies control is launching the 11th World Rabies day and call once again for your events. This year theme is 'Rabies: Zero by 30', to confirm their pledge to eliminate human deaths from canine rabies by 2030. Do not hesitate to register your event on the dedicated website page and to promote World Rabies day among your contacts. The Global alliance for rabies control also call to help them to recognise the individuals and organisations who work tirelessly to prevent rabies in your community and ask you to nominate them for a World Rabies Day Award.  

On October 18th., the EU RL for Honeybee Health organised the third training on honeybee diseases. The training was dedicated to the PCR diagnosis methods (conventional and real-time) for detection, identification and/or quantification of honey bee pathogens. This training was intended for EU NRLs that have little or no experience in the diagnosis of bee diseases by PCR and wish to implement such methods. The requirements and recommendations for implementation of PCR diagnosis described in the international standards (OIE and ISO 17025) were presented. Then, the implementation and the performance of PCR diagnosis methods as long as the interpretation of either qualitative or quantitative results were detailed. Presentations are available for members of the network on the website.

We would  like to announce an important news: the Standard EN ISO 19020 on detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins in food has been published by ISO and CEN, dated June 2017.