National Reference Laboratory for Tuberculosis and
Paratuberculosis

1. NRL experts

• NRL coordinator

  Dr. Sandu Ion, PhD in medical sciences, veterinary medicine speciality
  tel. 0374322048
  e–mail: ion.sandu@idah.ro

• NRL deputy coordinator

  Dr. Ionescu Maria, PhD candidate

• Team working

  Dr. Răgălie Adriana, PhD candidate
  Dr. Guţu Emanuela, PhD candidate
  Dr. Iordache Lucia, PhD in medical sciences, veterinary medicine specialty
  Bg. Vanghele Luminiţa, master in taxanomomy, PhD candidate
  Dr. Bărbuceanu Florica, PhD in medical sciences, veterinary medicine specialty
  Dr. Adameşteanu Mihail
  Dr. Popoviciu Alice
  Dr. Pavel Nerone

2. Correspondent Community Reference Laboratory

• Community Reference Laboratory for Bovine Tuberculosis, VISAVET, Laboratorio de vigilancia veterinaria, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avda, Puerta de Hierro, s/n. Ciudad Universitaria, 28040, Madrid, Spain

3. Specific atributions

• The specialists working in this NRL have the responsibility for drawing up the following handbooks: „Manual for Bovine Tuberculosis Diagnosis”, „Manual for Tuberculosis Diagnosis for Other Animals” and „Manual for Paratuberculosis Diagnosis”.
• They also perform the changes and/or supplements for „Manual for Bovine Tuberculosis Diagnosis”, „Manual for Tuberculosis Diagnosis for Other Animals” and „Manual for Paratuberculosis 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 tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
• The experts coordinate pre-taking and drawing up the standards and diagnostic methods of animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis in Romania.
• They carry out researches activities, assimilate and draw up the new analytical methods for laboratory diagnosis and surveillance of animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
• They participate together with the others national reference laboratories for animal tuberculosis from Member States, to the international inter-comparison and proficiency tests organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Bovine Tuberculosis and international reference laboratories for paratuberculosis and other international accredited institutions in the field.
• They participate to the quality assurance activities and method standardization for diagnosis, surveillance and screening of animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis, organized by Community Reference Laboratory for Bovine Tuberculosis and international reference laboratories for paratuberculosis.
• The NRL specialists collaborate with Community Reference Laboratory for Bovine Tuberculosis, international reference laboratories for paratuberculosis and benefit from training organized by these and supplying diagnostic standards, methods, reagents or diagnosis standards for animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
• The NRL experts collaborate with national reference laboratories for animal tuberculosis 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 tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
• In accordance with the provisions of Diagnosis Manual, they carry out, in a certain circumstances, laboratory tests/assays for diagnosis and surveillance of animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
• The NRL experts supply the diagnosis expertise for animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis 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 tuberculosis and paratuberculosis 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 tuberculosis and paratuberculosis and designate their use by state sanitary veterinary laboratories from Romania.
• In preparation for yielding certain diagnosis reagents for animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis, supplying them for all authorised sanitary veterinary and food safety laboratories.
• They coordinate the drawing up of diagnosis standards and methods for animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis 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 tuberculosis and paratuberculosis, 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 tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
• The NRL experts carry out specific activities for identification and characterization the etiological agents of animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis, their origin, type and subtype.
• NRL has the responsibility to characterize the animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis etiological agent strains, their genetic typing and designing the epidemiological genetic charts.
• They preserve the animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis 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 tuberculosis and paratuberculosis 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 Bovine Tuberculosis, international reference laboratories for paratuberculosis, World Animal Health Organization, and national reference laboratories for animal tuberculosis 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 tuberculosis and paratuberculosis with the aim of establishing the national strategies and policies on animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
• 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 tuberculosis and paratuberculosis, 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 animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis and the maximum number of samples for laboratory exams done on pool samples.
• They participate to the elaboration of law drafts for animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis.
• They also participate to design the technical programs, the national and international projects regarding animal tuberculosis and paratuberculosis 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
  • –
• 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
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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
  • 2005 – General approach for bacteriological diagnosis; homologated methods and methodologies for bacteriological diagnosis
  • 2006 – Bacteriological diagnosis in bovine tuberculosis
  • 2008 – Bacteriological diagnosis approach for diseases caused by pathogen Mycobacterium genus
  • 2009 – Bacteriological diagnosis approach for diseases caused by pathogen Mycobacterium genus
• Performing inter–comparison and proficiency tests
  • 2008 – Mycobacterium spp. morpho-staining identification
  • 2009 – Mycobacterium spp. morpho-staining identification

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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