♦ 31 March 2015 ♦

The 2015 rabies diagnostic inter-laboratory test will be undertaken on a unique panel of 9 samples. As usual, laboratories will be able to test their performance for 4 techniques: FAT (Fluorescent Antibody Test), RTCIT (Rabies Tissue Culture Infection Test), Conventional RT-PCR and Real-Time RT-PCR. The panel will be sent to laboratories on 1st June 2015. Results will have to be returned to Anses-Nancy before 1st July 2015, along with the answers to the online questionnaires for each technique tested. These questionnaires are used to compare the procedures of laboratories, and to highlight the influence of the variations on the results obtained during this inter-laboratory trial, when applicable. Non EU Member State National Reference Laboratories are allowed to participate to this test under certain conditions. Registration for the inter-laboratory test for rabies diagnosis is now closed. A total of 48 laboratories have registered.