[F1CHAPTER B U.K. EU reference laboratory
[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]
The functions and duties of the EU reference laboratory are:
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;
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;
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
F2 Substituted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/221 of 15 February 2018 amending Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the European Union reference laboratory for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (Text with EEA relevance).
Textual Amendments
F1 Substituted by Commission Regulation (EU) No 1148/2014 of 28 October 2014 amending Annexes II, VII, VIII, IX and X to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (Text with EEA relevance).