National Reference Laboratory for Bivalve Molluscs and
Crustacean Diseases

1. NRL experts

• NRL coordinator

  Dr. Costea Mihaela, PhD in medical sciences, veterinary medicine speciality; master in public administration
  tel. 0374.322.029
  e–mail: mihaela.costea@idah.ro

• NRL deputy coordinator

  Dr. Popescu Alina, PhD candidate; post-university studies in veterinary laboratory diagnosis

• Team working

  Dr. Serafim Vlad, PhD in medical sciences, veterinary medicine specialty, post-university studies in veterinary laboratory diagnosis
  Ch. Ţoca Cristina, PhD candidate
  Dr. Moţiu Răzvan, master in clinical and veterinary pharmacy speciality
  Dr. Adameşteanu Mihail
  Dr. Cătuşanu Şerban

2. Correspondent Community Reference Laboratory

• Community Reference Laboratory for Mollusc Diseases, Ifremer LGP, Avenue de Mus de Loup, 17390, La Tremblade, France
• Community Reference Laboratory for Crustacean Diseases, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UB, United Kingdom

3. Specific atributions

• The specialists working in this NRL have the responsibility for drawing up the handbooks: “Diagnosis Manual for mollusc diseases” and “Diagnosis Manual for crustacean diseases”.
• They also perform the changes and/or supplements for „Diseases Manual for mollusc diagnosis” and „Diagnosis Manual for crustacean diseases” in accordance with new provisions of Community law and new recommendations of the World Animal Health Organization, established in „Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals” and „ Aquatic 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 mollusc and crustacean diseases.
• The experts coordinate pre-taking and drawing up the standards and diagnostic methods of mollusc and crustacean diseases in Romania.
• They carry out researches activities, assimilate and draw up the new analytical methods for laboratory diagnosis and surveillance of mollusc and crustacean diseases.
• They participate together with the others national reference laboratories for aquaculture animal diseases from Member States, to the international inter-comparison and proficiency tests organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Mollusc Diseases and Community Reference Laboratory for Crustacean Diseases.
• They participate to the quality assurance activities and method standardization for diagnosis, surveillance and screening of mollusc and crustacean diseases, organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Mollusc Diseases and Community Reference Laboratory for Crustacean Diseases.
• The NRL specialists collaborate with Community Reference Laboratory for Mollusc Diseases and Community Reference Laboratory for Crustacean Diseases and benefit from training organized by these and supplying diagnostic standards, methods, reagents or diagnosis standards for mollusc and crustacean diseases.
• The NRL experts collaborate with national reference laboratories for aquaculture animal diseases from the others Member States, international reference laboratories of World Animal Health Organization (OIE) and other international accredited organizations in the field, in order to improve the surveillance and diagnostic capacity of aquaculture animal diseases.
• In accordance with provisions of Diagnosis Manual, they carry out the laboratory tests/assays for diagnosis and surveillance of mollusc and crustacean diseases.
• The NRL experts supply the diagnosis expertise for mollusc and crustacean diseases 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 mollusc and crustacean diseases 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 mollusc and crustacean diseases and designate their use by state sanitary veterinary laboratories from Romania.
• In preparation for yielding certain diagnosis reagents for mollusc and crustacean diseases, supplying them for all authorised sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories.
• They coordinate the drawing up of diagnosis standards and methods for aquaculture animal diseases 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 mollusc and crustacean diseases, 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 mollusc and crustacean diseases.
• The NRL experts carry out specific activities for identification and characterization the etiological agents of mollusc and crustacean diseases and their origin.
• NRL has the responsibility to characterize the etiological agents for aquaculture animal diseases, their genetic typing and designing the epidemiological genetic charts.
• They preserve the etiological agents for mollusc and crustacean diseases 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 mollusc and crustacean diseases 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, Community Reference Laboratory for Mollusc Diseases, Community Reference Laboratory for Crustacean Diseases, World Animal Health Organization, and national reference laboratories for mollusc and crustacean diseases from other Member States 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 mollusc and crustacean diseases with the aim of establishing the national strategies and policies on mollusc and crustacean diseases.
• 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 aquaculture farm system or for those enterprises of which activities involve products or by-products derived from mollusc and crustaceans.
• Sometimes, the experts from NRL participate to inspection and control actions directed to mollusc and crustacean diseases, organized by National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority.
• 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 mollusc and crustacean diseases and the maximum number of samples for laboratory exams done on pool samples.
• They participate to the elaboration of law drafts for mollusc and crustacean diseases.
• They also participate to design the technical programs, the national and international projects regarding mollusc and crustacean diseases 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 organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Mollusc Diseases, Ifremer LGP, Avenue de Mus de Loup, 17390, La Tremblade, France
  • 2002 - Mollusc diseases diagnosis and surveillance
  • 2002 - Mollusc diseases: diagnosis using histopathological examination
  • 2003 - Mollusc diseases: surveillance and diagnosis using histopathological examination. European legislation on mollusc diseases diagnosis and surveillance
  • 2004 - Mollusc diseases diagnosis and surveillance
  • 2005 - Mollusc diseases diagnosis and surveillance
  • 2005 - Mollusc diseases: diagnosis using histopathological examination
  • 2006 - Mollusc diseases diagnosis and surveillance
  • 2007 - Mollusc diseases diagnosis and surveillance
  • 2007 - Mollusc diseases: Bonamia ostreae detection using PCT method. Perkinsus sp. detection using Ray’s Fluid Thioglycolate medium method
  • 2008 - Mollusc diseases diagnosis and surveillance
  • 2009 - Mollusc diseases: Microcytos mackini detection using histopathological examination. Marteilia refringens detection using PCR method
  • 2009 - Mollusc diseases diagnosis and surveillance
• Attendance to trainings organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Mollusc Diseases Ifremer LGP, Avenue de Mus de Loup, 17390, La Tremblade, France
  • 1998 - Mollusc diseases: diagnosis using histopathological examination
• Participation to the international inter-comparison and proficiency tests organized by Community Reference Laboratory for mollusc diseases, Ifremer LGP, Avenue de Mus de Loup, 17390, La Tremblade, France
  • 2004 - Detection the etiological agents of diseases listed in Directive 91/67, using histopathological examination
  • 2005 - Detection the parasites Haplosporidium nelsoni, Mikrocytos mackini and Marteilioides chugmuensis, using histopathological examination
  • 2005 - Detection the etiological agents of diseases listed in Directive 91/67, using histopathological examination
  • 2007 - Detection the etiological agents of diseases listed in Directive 88/2006/CE, using histopathological examination
  • 2009 - Detection the etiological agents of diseases listed in Directive 88/2006/CE, using histopathological examination

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
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8. Activity in relation with counties SVFSLs

• Workshop organization
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• Training organization
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• Performing inter–comparison and proficiency tests
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9. Activity in relation with other institutions than SVFSLs or legal and private person

• Workshop organization
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• Training organization
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• Performing inter–comparison and proficiency tests
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