1.Member States shall ensure that the confirmation of swine vesicular disease and the differential diagnosis with foot-and-mouth disease are based on:
(a)the detection of clinical signs of disease;
(b)the detection of virus, antigen or genome in samples of epithelium tissue, vesicular fluid or faeces;
(c)the demonstration of a specific antibody response in serum samples,
in accordance with the procedures, sampling methods and criteria for evaluation of the results of laboratory tests laid down in the Manual annexed to this Decision.
2.However, the national diagnostic laboratories referred to in Annex II(5) to Directive 92/119/EEC may apply modifications to the laboratory tests referred to in the Manual annexed to this Decision or use different tests, provided that an equal sensitivity and specificity can be demonstrated.
The sensitivity and specificity of these modified or different tests must be evaluated in the framework of the periodic comparative tests organised by the Community Reference Laboratory for swine vesicular disease.
This Decision shall apply from 1 October 2000.
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 4 July 2000.
For the Commission
David Byrne
Member of the Commission