National Reference Laboratory for Echinoccosis

1. NRL experts

• NRL coordinator

  Dr. Dascălu Lenuţa, PhD candidate
  tel. 0374.322.090 / 0374.322.053
  e–mail: lenuta.dascalu@idah.ro

• NRL deputy coordinator

  Bg. Moldoveanu Daniela Ruxandra

• Team working

  Dr. Chiţimia Lidia, PhD in medical sciences, veterinary medicine speciality
  Dr. Banu Teofilia, PhD candidate
  Dr. Bărbuceanu Florica, PhD in medical sciences, veterinary medicine speciality
  Dr. Tamba Paula
  Dr. Turcitu Mihai Alexandru, PhD candidate
  Dr. Pavel Nerone

2. Correspondent Community Reference Laboratory

• Community Reference Laboratory for Parasites, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Roma, Italy

3. Specific atributions

• The specialists working in this NRL have the responsibility for drawing up the handbook „Manual for Animal Echinoccosis Diagnosis”.
• They also perform the changes and/or supplements for „Manual for Animal Echinoccosis Diagnosis” 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 animal echinoccosis.
• The experts coordinate pre-taking and drawing up the standards and diagnostic methods of animal echinoccosis in Romania.
• They carry out researches activities, assimilate and draw up the new analytical methods for laboratory diagnosis and surveillance of animal echinoccosis.
• They participate together with the others national reference laboratories for animal echinoccosis from Member States, to the international inter-comparison and proficiency tests organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Parasites.
• They participate to the quality assurance activities and method standardization for diagnosis, surveillance and screening of animal echinoccosis, organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Parasites.
• The NRL specialists collaborate with Community Reference Laboratory for Parasites and benefit from training organized by this and supplying diagnostic standards, methods, reagents or diagnosis standards for animal echinoccosis.
• The NRL experts collaborate with national reference laboratories for animal echinoccosis 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 animal animal echinoccosis.
• In accordance with provisions of diagnosis manuals, they carry out the laboratory tests/assays for diagnosis and surveillance of animal echinoccosis.
• The NRL experts supply the diagnosis expertise for animal echinoccosis 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 animal echinoccosis 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 animal echinoccosis and designate their use by state sanitary veterinary laboratories from Romania.
• In preparation for yielding certain diagnosis reagents for animal echinoccosis, supplying them for all authorised sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories.
• They coordinate the drawing up of diagnosis standards and methods for animal echinoccosis 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 animal echinoccosis, 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 animal echinoccosis.
• The NRL experts proceed specific activities in order to identify and characterize the etiological agents of animal echinoccosis, their origin and species.
• NRL has the responsibility to characterize the animal echinoccosis etiological agent strains.
• They preserve the animal echinoccosis 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 animal echinoccosis 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 Parasites, World Animal Health Organization, national reference laboratories for animal echinoccosis 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 animal echinoccosis with the aim of establishing the national strategies and policies on animal echinoccosis.
• 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.
• Sometimes, the experts from NRL participate to inspection and control actions directed to animal echinoccosis, 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 the samples to be sampled for laboratory exams, regarding animal echinoccosis.
• They participate to the elaboration of law drafts for animal echinoccosis.
• They also participate to design the technical programs, the national and international projects regarding animal echinoccosis 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
  • 2008 - The detection of adult worms of Echinococcus sp. in the intestinale mucosa of the definitive hosts

5. Activity in relation with correspondent national reference laboratories from Member States

• Attendance to workshops
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• Attendance to trainings
  • –
• 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
  • –
• Attendance to trainings
  • –
• 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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