EURL
European Union Reference Laboratory for
rabies
Other international activities
Last update: 17 January 2020
The laboratory is:
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Management in zoonosis control since September 1983,
- WOAH Reference Laboratory for rabies since June 1991,
- European Union Reference Laboratory for rabies serology since March 2000,
- European Union Reference Laboratory for rabies since July 2008.
- Official Medicines Control Laboratory (for inactivated and oral rabies vaccines) since 2012.
The laboratory provides scientific and technical support at the European level (European Commission, EDQM, EFSA), and to international organizations (OIE, WHO) through numerous activities. The laboratory works in close cooperation with the National Reference Laboratories and their competent authorities for helping to define the strategy and the organization of oral vaccination programmes, as well as for establishing the surveillance and the monitoring of the disease (incidence of rabies, assessment of bait uptake and of rabies immunity both in adult and young target animals).
The laboratory ensures training activities in the frame of its own programmes, and collaborates in the preparation and distribution of teaching materials.
Biological reference material and laboratory services are available on request to help international laboratories to develop their own rabies surveillance and monitoring systems, as well as any other laboratory services for rabies research and epidemiology.
The rabies laboratory's experts provide scientific and technical assistance, advice and training for Member States and third countries. They are also involved in evaluation studies for improving and adapting existing diagnostic, serological, molecular biology and epidemiological tools.
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