LRUE Fièvre Aphteuse
The European Union Reference Laboratory organises Proficiency Tests (PTs) on detection and typing of Foot-and-Mouth disease virus in accordance with the Regulation (EU) No 2017/625.
PT panels for FMDV and SVDV detection are established for virus isolation, RT-PCR, Antigen-ELISA and VP1 sequencing. PT panels for FMD antibody detection are established for FMDV NSP antibodies, FMDV SP antibodies and SVDV antibodies detection by ELISAs or/and virus neutralisation test.
The proficiency test (PT) for FMD virus and SVD virus and antibody detection is organised annually. All EU national reference laboratories (NRLs) and other official laboratories of the network are invited to participate.
The European Union Reference Laboratory yearly organizes a workshop, especially intended for the EU national reference laboratories (NRLs) and other official laboratories of the network.
The purpose of these workshops is to inform the participants about the activities of the EURL, to present and discuss the results of the PT, to present and discuss scientific research projects and to exchange information on EU legislation, methods and other relevant subjects.
Registration to the next workshopThe EURL for FMD, among other missions, gathers data and information on the methods of diagnosis and differential diagnosis used in the different National Laboratories.
A list of methods inspired by the WOAH official methods is available on this website.
The EURL for FMD supports the functions of National Laboratories by storing and supplying reagents and materials for use in diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease such as virus and/or inactivated antigens, standardised sera, cell lines and other reference reagents.
A list of reagents and material is available on this website.
The European Union Reference Laboratory organizes each year trainings specifically intended for the EU national reference laboratories (NRLs) and other official laboratories of the network.
The purpose of these sessions is to implement the further training of experts in laboratory diagnosis with the goal to harmonize the diagnostic techniques at the European and International levels.
EU National Reference Laboratories (NRLs)
The EURL co-operates with a network of national reference laboratories (NRLs)
EURL Missions
The responsabilities and task of Europeen Union reference laboratories are laid down in Article 94 of the regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the Europeen parliament and of concil of 15 march 2017 :
EURL for Foot-and-mouth Disease
The Virology Unit of ANSES Animal Health Laboratory, Maisons-Alfort, France, and the Service for Exotic and vector-borne diseases of the federal research centre Sciensano, Uccle, Belgium, are in charge of the FMD EURL activities. They have a long experience of collaboration on various viral diseases (FMD, Bluetongue, West Nile, etc.) and they have been partners in many research projects. They have extensive experiences in the diagnosis of major diseases, even in emergency situation, such as Foot-and-mouth Disease, Lumpy Skin Disease, Bluetongue, West Nile, African Horse Sickness, etc. and are fully aware of the roles and duties they have to fulfil for the national and European authorities. They conduct their activities in accordance with and under quality assurance and are accredited according to the EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard. They comply strictly with all the International, European and National regulations and legislations regarding Biosafety, Biosecurity, Health and Safety and Animal Welfare.