National Reference Laboratory for Mycoses and Diseases
Caused by Mycotoxins

1. NRL experts

• NRL coordinator

  Dr. Tălmaciu Elena, PhD in medical sciences, veterinary medicine speciality, undergraduate studies in specialty – animal health management
  tel. 0374322040
  e–mail: elena.talmaciu@idah.ro

• NRL deputy coordinator

  Bg. Popa Larisa, master in laboratory diagnosis

• Team working

  Ch. Ţoca Cristina, PhD candidate Dr. Dragoş Daniela, post-university studies in veterinary laboratory diagnosis
  Bioch. Zybaczynski Iulia
  Dr. Tudoran Cristina
  Dr. Apostu Cristian, undergraduate studies in specialty – animal health management

2. Correspondent Community Reference Laboratory

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3. Specific atributions

• The specialists working in this NRL have the responsibility for drawing up the handbook „Diagnosis Manual for Mycoses and Diseases Caused by Mycotoxins”.
• They also perform the changes and/or supplements for „Diagnosis Manual for Mycoses and Diseases Caused by Mycotoxins” in accordance with new provisions of Community law and new recommendations of the World Animal Health Organization, established in „Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals” and „Terrestrial Animal Health Code”
• NRL experts approve the results of validity studies proving the reliability of methods/assays used in Romania for diagnosis and surveillance of mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins.
• The experts coordinate pre-taking and drawing up the standards and diagnostic methods of mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins in Romania.
• They carry out researches activities, assimilate and draw up the new analytical methods for laboratory diagnosis and surveillance of mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins.
• They participate, to the international inter-comparison and proficiency tests organized by international accredited institutions in the field.
• They participate to the quality assurance activities and method standardization for diagnosis, surveillance and screening of mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins, organized by international accredited institutions in the field.
• The NRL specialists collaborate with international accredited institutions in the field and benefit from training organized by these and supplying diagnostic standards, methods, reagents or diagnosis standards for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins.
• The NRL experts collaborate with international accredited institutions in the field, in order to improve the surveillance and diagnostic capacity of mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins.
• In accordance with provisions of Diagnosis Manual, they carry out the laboratory tests/assays for diagnosis and surveillance of mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins.
• The NRL experts supply the diagnosis expertise for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins in case of positive, suspect and inconclusive results obtained by the sanitary veterinary and food safety county laboratories, and of Bucharest, respectively.
• The NRL experts supply the diagnosis expertise for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins in case of dispute settlement.
• The NRL experts check and certify the diagnosis value of all diagnosis reagent batches and diagnosis sets or kits for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins and designate their use by state sanitary veterinary laboratories from Romania.
• In preparation for yielding certain diagnosis reagents for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins, supplying them for all authorised sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories.
• They coordinate the drawing up of diagnosis standards and methods for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins used by all authorized sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories.
• The NRL experts perform the annual inter-laboratory comparative tests for checking the diagnostic capability for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins, for all authorized sanitary veterinary and food safety county laboratories from county sanitary veterinary and food safety directorates.
• NRL also organize training and continuous training activities, in order to teach the specialists working in the authorized sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories, on carrying out laboratory surveillance for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins.
• The NRL experts carry out specific activities for identification and characterization the etiological agents of mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins and their origin.
• NRL has the responsibility to characterize the mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins etiological agent.
• They preserve the animal mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins etiological agent strains under maximum safety conditions.
• The experts from NRL participate to the authorization of sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories; they write down the checking files and assessment report and verify the achievement of quality insurance system conditions.
• Periodically, they communicate to the European Commission the list of authorized and accredited institutions or sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories, having specific competences for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins and also to notify any changes of the list.
• The NRL experts communicate, with the agreement of National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority; the information requested by European Commission, World Animal Health Organization and other international accredited organizations and institutions in the field.
• The NRL experts provide, to National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority and to sanitary veterinary and food safety county directorates, and of Bucharest, respectively, the official information on mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins with the aim of establishing the national strategies and policies on mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins.
• As a second or third part, they carry out advising activities, they grant technical advice and also they perform audit activities for institutions and organizations in animal husbandry or for those enterprises of which activities involve products or by-products derived from animals.
• In accordance with legislation in force, NRL promotes and implements the Good Laboratory Practice principles (GLP), to be used for applied research studies.
• They also participate to the drawing up, coordination, monitoring and carrying out some actions stipulated by “Programme for surveillance, prevention and control of animal diseases, those transmitted from animals to humans, animal and environmental protection”, yearly approved by National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority President’s order.
• They participate to the establishing of maximum number of samples which are to be sampled for laboratory exams, regarding mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins.
• They participate to the elaboration of law drafts for mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins.
• They also participate to design the technical programs, the national and international projects regarding mycoses and diseases caused by mycotoxins diagnosis and surveillance.
• The NRL experts participate or manage the research activities of national or international research programmes.

4. Activity in relation with correspondent Community Reference Laboratory

• Attendance to workshops
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• Attendance to trainings
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• Participation to the international inter–comparison and proficiency tests
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5. Activity in relation with correspondent national reference laboratories from Member States

• Attendance to workshops
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• Attendance to trainings
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• Participation to the international inter–comparison and proficiency tests
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6. Activity in relation with correspondent international reference laboratory

• Attendance to workshops
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• Attendance to trainings
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• Participation to the international inter–comparison and proficiency tests
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7. Activity in relation with other international accredited institutions in the field

• Attendance to workshops
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• Attendance to trainings
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• Participation to the international inter–comparison and proficiency tests
  • 2008 - Ochratoxin A determination in feedingstuffs, organized by FAPAS
  • 2009 - Deoxynivalenol determination in maize, organized by FAPAS

8. Activity in relation with counties SVFSLs

• Workshop organization
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• Training organization
  • 2007 – Mycological examination of feedingstuffs
  • 2007 - Mycological examination of feedingstuffs using thin layer chromatography and ELISA
  • 2008 – Isolation and identification the fungi genus and/or species causing specific diseases in animals
  • 2009 – Isolation and identification techniques the fungi causing specific diseases in animals
  • 2009 - Mycotoxins determination of feedingstuffs using ELISA
• Performing inter–comparison and proficiency tests
  • 2007 – Isolation, identification and counting the total yeasts and moulds from feedingstuffs samples
  • 2007 – Identification and characterization the fungi genus from slide smears
  • 2008 - Isolation, identification and counting the total yeasts and moulds from feedingstuffs samples
  • 2008 – Identification and characterization the fungi genus from slide Smears
  • 2009 - Isolation, identification and counting the total yeasts and moulds from feedingstuffs samples
  • 2009 - Identification and characterization the fungi genus from fungal cultures
  • 2009 – Ochratoxin A determination in feedingstuffs

9. Activity in relation with other institutions than SVFSLs or legal and private person

• Workshop organization
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• Training organization
  • 2006 - Mycotoxins determination of feedingstuffs using ELISA, a training activity in the benefit of Veterinary Medicine Faculty, Iaşi
• Performing inter–comparison and proficiency tests
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