National Reference Laboratory for Monitoring Antimicrobial
Resistance in Animals

1. NRL experts

• NRL coordinator

  Dr. Gianina Băcanu
  tel. 0374322008
  e–mail: gianina.bacanu@idah.ro

• NRL deputy coordinator

  Dr. Romaşcu Luminiţa, master in genetics, microbiology and biotechnology

• Team working

  Dr. Ionescu Maria, PhD candidate
  Bg. Vanghele Luminiţa, master in taxanomomy, PhD candidate

2. Correspondent Community Reference Laboratory

• Community Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, National Food Institute, Bülowsve 27, DK-1790, Copenhagen, Denmark

3. Specific atributions

• The specialists working in this NRL have the responsibility for drawing up the handbook „Manual for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals”.
• They also perform the changes and/or supplements for „Manual for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals” 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 monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• The experts coordinate pre-taking and drawing up the standards and methods of monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals used in Romania.
• They carry out researches activities, assimilate and draw up the new analytical methods for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• They participate together with the others national reference laboratories for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals from Member States, to the international inter-comparison and proficiency tests organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance.
• They participate to the quality assurance activities and method standardization for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals, organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance.
• The NRL specialists collaborate with Community Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance and benefit from training organized by this and supplying standards, methods or reagents for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• The NRL experts collaborate with national reference laboratories for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals 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 capacity of monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• In accordance with provisions of Diagnosis Manual, they carry out the laboratory tests/assays for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• The NRL experts supply the veterinary expertise for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals for sanitary veterinary and food safety county laboratories, and of Bucharest, respectively.
• The NRL experts check and certify the value of all diagnosis kits for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals and establish their use by state sanitary veterinary laboratories from Romania.
• In preparation for yielding certain diagnosis kits for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals, supplying them for all authorised sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories.
• They coordinate the drawing up of standards and methods for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals used by all authorized sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories.
• 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 monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• The NRL experts identify the classes of antibiotics and the level of antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• They characterize the level of antibioresistance and the microbial resistance for other chemotherapeutical substances.
• 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 monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals 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 Antimicrobial Resistance, World Animal Health Organization, and national reference laboratories for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals 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 monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals with the aim of establishing the national strategies and policies on monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• 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 elaboration of law drafts for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• They also participate to design the technical programs, the national and international projects regarding diagnosis and surveillance of monitoring antimicrobial resistance in animals.
• 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
  • –
• Attendance to trainings
  • –
• Participation to the international inter–comparison and proficiency tests
  • –

6. Activity in relation with correspondent international reference laboratory

• Attendance to workshops
  • –
• Attendance to trainings
  • –
• Participation to the international inter–comparison and proficiency tests
  • –

7. Activity in relation with other international accredited institutions in the field

• Attendance to workshops
  • –
• Attendance to trainings
  • –
• 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
  • 2005 – Antibioresistance: AST standard methods
  • 2006 – Antibioresistance: AST standard methods, monitoring and antimicrobial resistance surveillance for pathogenic bacteria in animals
  • 2008 – Antibioresistance: AST standard methods
• 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
  • –