rabies | EURL

EURL rabies

URL:

https://eurl-rabies.anses.fr

Background type:

color

Intro [EN]:

Collection of samples, techniques, validation and interpretation of the diagnostic methods for the purposes of rabies surveillance are presented here.

Diagnostic methods considered compliant are presented in the WOAH rabies manual. A list of procedures inspired by the WOAH official methods is also proposed.

Title [EN]:

Diagnostic methods

Methods Background:

Materiau Background:

Code AT Internet:

624742

Nom page d'accueil (AT):

Home_EURL_Rabies

Intro [EN]:

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Workshop for rabies 2013

♦ 21 February 2014 ♦

The 6th workshop for rabies was held on 13th and 14th November 2013 in Athens, Greece. The choice of this Member State as host country was decided following the re-emergence of rabies in the North of the country in October 2012.

Fifty-six participants from thirty-nine National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) from European Union and third countries attended the meeting. An American rabies expert, two representatives from the European Commission and EFSA, and a delegation from the Hellenic Ministry of Rural Development and Food also participated to the workshop.

Presentations and discussions focussed on rabies diagnosis tools, including a comparison study on various real time RT-PCR kits and on a new test using direct rapid immunohistochemistry. Other presentations dealt with the control and the epidemio-surveillance of rabies issues. The recent cases of imported rabid animals in the Netherlands, Spain, and France were also discussed.

Presentations as well as the report of this workshop are available in the documentation part of the EURL website (restricted area).

Inter-laboratory test for rabies diagnosis 2014

♦ 04 February 2014 ♦

Registration for participation to the inter-laboratory test for diagnosis is now over. Fifty laboratories will participate on one or more techniques (FAT, RTCIT, Conventional and/or real time RT-PCR). The samples will be sent end of May for a test performance in June 2014.

Participants will be asked to answer an online questionnaire for each technique used. It aims to compare the procedures used in laboratories and will help to highlight the influences of variations on the results obtained during the trial.

Rabies disease

Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease (animal disease that can be transmitted to humans) caused by a virus of the genus Lyssavirus. Excreted in the saliva of infected mammals in the final phases of the disease, the virus is generally transmitted to another animal or to humans through biting. Contamination may also occur if the saliva of an infected animal comes into contact with an open wound or a mucous membrane. Without post-exposure treatment prior to the onset of clinical signs, the disease is invariably fatal.

Rabies, which causes over 59,000 human deaths a year worldwide, is found all over the world, except in certain areas such as Antarctica. Several European countries have become rabies-free in non flying mammals thanks to oral vaccination programmes of wildlife.

There are 16 different rabies virus species, seven of which transmission to human has already been notified. Those species are mainly differentiated according to the animal host species. Rabies due to rabies virus species (RABV) is responsible for most human and animal rabies cases.

In industrialised countries, rabies persists mainly in wild animals, whereas in many developing countries it remains an endemic disease, with the domestic dog as principal reservoir and main source of human contamination.

In European countries, rabies in dogs was eliminated several decades ago, but it continued to persist and spread in fox and racoon dog populations. Thanks to oral vaccination campaigns conducted in wildlife, the incidence of rabies in both domestic and wild animals in the EU has drastically reduced. Rabies has been eliminated from the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Estonia, Italy, Latvia and Slovenia.The elimination of rabies in non-flying mamals (RABV) in the European Union will be reachable in the next years. In 2018 and 2019, eight (from 3 EU countries) and five (from 2 EU countries) cases, respectively, were reported in the EU.

To detect timely any suspect animal, the rabies situation in all Europe should be continuously monitored, based on surveillance programmes. The illegal importation of infected cats and dogs from endemic countries remains a major concern, with regular rabies alerts occuring (ProMED). In Europe, bat rabies cases are attributed to five different lyssavirus species. While European bat lyssavirus types 1 and 2 are responsible for most bat rabies cases, Bokeloh bat lyssavirus, West Caucasian bat lyssavirus and Lleida bat lyssavirus have occasionnaly been isolated.

Additional documentation

...

Rabies - Description and monitoring of the disease

The Nancy laboratory for rabies and wildlife is part of ANSES.

The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) has incorporated the missions, resources and personnel of the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA) and the French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (AFSSET). Its principal mission is to contribute to the protection of human health with respect to the environment, the workplace and food.

On 1st July 2008, the European Commission designated the French Food Safety Agency as the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for rabies (Regulation (EC) No 737/2008).

The activities of the European Union Reference Laboratory are undertaken in the Lyssavirus Unit of the Nancy laboratory for rabies and wildlife. This laboratory is specialised in animal rabies and several dominant and emerging wildlife zoonoses. The laboratory has 50 years of experience in rabies and is internationally recognised in this field.

Nancy laboratory for rabies and wildlife presentation on ANSES website
www.anses.fr

Contact

EU National Reference Laboratories for rabies

List of the EU National Reference Laboratories for rabies, including presentation (for private members only) and official website:

Last update: 14 january 2022

European Union Reference Laboratory team presentation

Former Workshops documents

Search a document

Duties of the European Union Reference Laboratory for Rabies

Coordinating the methods employed in the Member States for diagnosing rabies

● Typing, storing and supplying strains of rabies virus

● Preparing, controlling and supplying international standard sera and other reference reagents to the National Reference Laboratories in order to standardise the tests and reagents used in the Member States

● Validating reference reagents including antigens and national standard sera submitted by the National Reference Laboratories

● Building up and maintaining a sera bank and a collection of rabies virus, and maintaining a database of strains isolated across the European Union, including typing

● Organising periodical comparative tests of diagnostic procedures at European Union level and operating laboratory proficiency tests of National Reference Laboratories

● Collecting and collating data and information on the methods of diagnosis used and the results of tests carried out in the European Union

● Characterising rabies virus by the most up-to-date methods available to allow a greater understanding of the epidemiology of the disease

● Keeping abreast of developments in rabies surveillance, epidemiology and prevention throughout the world

● Acquiring a thorough knowledge of the preparation and use of the products of veterinary immunology used to eradicate and control rabies, including the evaluation of vaccines

Contributing to the improvement and harmonisation of methods of analysis throughout the European Union

● By specifying standard test methodologies

● By providing reference materials to NRLs

● By providing NRLs with details and guidance on the methods of laboratory analysis, testing or diagnosis

● By conducting training courses for staff from NRLs, and if needed from other official laboratories

Organising workshops for the benefit of National Reference Laboratories

● Including training of experts from the Member States and, as appropriate, from third countries, in new analytical methodologies

Providing scientific and technical assistance to the Commission

● And, upon its request, by participating in international forums relating to rabies, concerning in particular the standardisation of analytical diagnostic methods and their implementation

Performing and coordinating research activities directed towards the improved control and eradication of rabies

● Carrying out or collaborating with National Reference Laboratories in test validation trials

● Providing scientific advice to the Commission and collecting information and reports associated with the activities of the European Union Reference Laboratory

MAIN PARTNERS

European Commission www.ec.europa.eu
WOAH - World Organisation for Animal Health www.woah.org/en/home/
WHO - World Health Organisation www.who.int
EFSA - European Food Safety Authority www.efsa.europa.eu
EDQM - European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Healthcare www.edqm.eu
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organisation www.fao.org
GARC - Global Alliance for Rabies Control https://rabiesalliance.org/

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

...

European Commission website and regulation

Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 (Repeal of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 415/2013 of 6 May 2013 (Amendment of Regulation (EC) No 737/2008)
Regulation (EC) No 208/2011 (Amendment of Annex VII to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004)
Commission Regulation (EC) No 737/2008 of 28 July 2008 (Nomination of Anses as EURL for rabies)
Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 (Official controls)
List of European Union Reference Laboratories

Last update : 17 January 2023

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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Additional documentation

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WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health)
WHO (World Health Organisation)
E.C (European Commission)
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)
EDQM (European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Healthcare)
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation)
GARC (Global Alliance for Rabies Control)

Reference collection

Last update: 12/01/2023

Workshop for rabies 2013

Inter-laboratory test for rabies diagnosis 2014

Rabies disease

Additional documentation

European Union Reference Laboratory EURL for rabies

EU National Reference Laboratories for rabies

European Union Reference Laboratory team presentation

Former Workshops documents

Search a document

Duties of the European Union Reference Laboratory for Rabies

MAIN PARTNERS

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

European Commission website and regulation

Other international activities

..

Additional documentation

..

Reference collection