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[F1ANNEX X U.K. REFERENCE LABORATORIES, SAMPLING AND LABORATORY ANALYSIS METHODS

Textual Amendments

CHAPTER B U.K. EU reference laboratory

1.

[F2The EU reference laboratory for TSEs is a consortium between the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta (IZSPLVA) and the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), led by IZSPLVA:

  • Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta (IZSPLVA)

    Via Bologna 148

    10154 Torino

    Italy

  • Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS)

    Viale Regina Elena 299

    00161 Roma

    Italy]

2.

The functions and duties of the EU reference laboratory are:

(a)

to coordinate, in consultation with the Commission, the methods employed in the Member States for diagnosing TSEs and the determination of the prion protein genotype in ovine animals, specifically by:

  • storing and supplying corresponding tissues containing the TSE agents, for the development or production of the relevant diagnostic tests or for typing strains of the TSE agents

  • supplying standard sera and other reference reagents to the national reference laboratories in order to standardise the tests and reagents used in the Member States

  • building up and retaining a collection of corresponding tissues containing the agents and strains of TSEs

  • organising periodic comparative tests for the procedures for the diagnosis of TSEs and for the determination of the prion protein genotype in ovine animals at EU level

  • collecting and collating data and information on the methods of diagnosis used and the results of tests carried out in the EU

  • characterising isolates of the TSE agent by the most up-to-date methods to allow greater understanding of the epidemiology of the disease

  • keeping abreast of trends in surveillance, epidemiology and prevention of TSEs throughout the world

  • maintaining expertise on prion diseases to enable rapid differential diagnosis

  • acquiring a thorough knowledge of the preparation and use of diagnostic methods used to control and eradicate TSEs;

(b)

to assist actively in the diagnosis of outbreaks of TSEs in Member States by studying samples from TSE-infected animals sent for confirmatory diagnosis, characterisation and epidemiological studies;

(c)

to facilitate the training or retraining of experts in laboratory diagnosis with a view to the harmonisation of diagnostic techniques throughout the EU.]

Textual Amendments