♦ 02 March 2015 ♦ In 2013, the EURL initiated a cross-platform evaluation of the PCR performance of ten commercial SYBR Green® kits ( five two-step kits and five one-step kits) using real-time SYBR Green PCR assays (one-step and two-step methods).   We found that the optimised one-step PCR assays had a higher detection sensitivity than the optimised two-step assays regardless of the machine used as well as the pivotal influence of the thermocycler on PCR performance, as well as that of the master mixes. The results of the comparison of the two types of methods (one-step versus two-step) of the Real Time SYBR Green® RT-PCR were presented in 2013 during the 6th workshop for Rabies NRLs in Athens, Greece: “Comparison of different commercial SYBR Green® RT-PCR kits” and also in 2014 in the 25th International Meeting of Rabies in the Americas (RITA, Cancun, Mexico). See presentation. The results of this study are now in open access on the BioMed Research International website. See publication

♦ 02 March 2015 ♦ Data collection ongoing   Each beginning of year, the EURL laboratory network is invited to participate in the annual overview of tests performed in the NRLs. This work ensures a continuous monitoring of rabies test results carried out in the Community that are then shared within the NRLs community. This year the survey is undertaken online and has to be filled out before 31st March 2015. The questionnaire can be found here. Should you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The workshop will take place this year in Maisons-Alfort from the 25 to the 27 March !

EFSA and ECDC  have just published the 2013 European Union summary report on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and food-borne outbreaks, available on the following link: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3991.htm?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20150128&utm_content=pub   To note for Lm: the number of human cases has again increased, of 8,6 % compared with 2012, and non-compliance of RTE foodstuffs was globally consistent with the outcome of the European baseline survey.

♦ 09 January 2015 ♦ In this beginning of year 2015, we are please to introduce you to our brand new website. Although it has been totally new-looked, you will be able to get back to all the information you used to find in the previous one. This site will be much more interactive than before, and we will endeavour to add all necessary and interesting information in it in the coming months. To be able to access all the pages of the site (strains and products catalogue, full documentation, EURL reports, etc...), you will have to register using your personal login. For login instructions, please contact us.  

♦ 05 January 2015 ♦ The whole team of the EURL for rabies wishes you peace, joy and prosperity throughout the coming year. Thank you for your continued support and collaboration and may 2015 be full of projects together! Happy new year to all of you.  

♦ 18 December 2014 ♦ An inter-laboratory test for rabies diagnosis intended for National Reference Laboratories will be held in June 2015. As usual, four techniques will be tested on a panel of 9 samples: FAT (Fluorescent Antibody Test), RTCIT (Rabies Tissue Culture Infection Test) Conventional RT-PCR Real-Time RT-PCR, and an online questionnaire will have to be filled in for each technique. The test is opened to non-EU countries upon certain conditions available on request. Registration is currently open.  

♦ 13 November 2014 ♦ The inter-laboratory test for rabies diagnosis is currently undertaken by 17 National Reference Laboratory from European and bordering countries. Each panel contains 6 half-jaws that have to be cut and analysed by the laboratories. An online technical questionnaire is also part of the test. Results are expected to be returned by 24 November 2014. A report on this trial should be issue beginning of year 2015.  

♦ 11 July 2014 ♦ The inter-laboratory test for rabies diagnosis is now over. Fifty laboratories were involved in this trial using at least one of the FAT, RTCIT, conventional and/or real time RT-PCR technique. All participants had to test a single panel of 9 coded samples within a month. The analysis of the results is now under progress and the report should be issue during the autumn 2014.  

♦ 27 June 2014 ♦ As too many rabies events and meetings are currently organised during the autumn season, the EURL team decided to postpone next workshop to the spring season. Consequently, there will be no workshop for rabies in 2014. From 2015 and on, workshops will be held annually each spring. The 7th EURL workshop for Rabies will be held on 27th and 28th May 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia.   Save the date!