The infection with Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis and Brucella suis has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of the infection with B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of the infection with B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to the infection with B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported.

Our main technical and scientific competences

• Diagnosis & Surveillance, Reference, Research
  

   

  Bacteriological & Molecular methods for the diagnosis of brucellosis:

  • Culture of Brucella;
  • Isolation of Brucella in blood, milk, vaginal swabs, solid tissues... ;
  • Necropsy of mouse and animal fetal material;
  • Identification and typing of Brucella cultures (phenotypic methods)
  • Maintenance of Brucella cultures
  • Molecular biology methods: Real Time PCR, Bruce-ladder multiplex PCR and Bruce-ladder suis, HRM PCR, MLVA…
  • Genomic analyses of Brucella sequences : sequencing, phylogenetic analyses, interpretation

   

  Serological methods for the diagnosis of brucellosis:

  • Rose Bengal Test,
  • Complement Fixation Test,
  • Sero-Agglutination Test, ELISA,
  • Control of antigens and ELISA kits,
  • Control of Brucellin.

   

  Reference expertise for the diagnosis of brucellosis:

  • Training of staff approved for working in BSL3 facilities.
  • Inter-Laboratory Proficiency Ring Trial: samples preparation, shipment of panels, data analysis (130 participants: French, EU and International), interpretation of results, follow-up procedures
  • Production of biological standard reagents : phages, monospecific sera, polyclonal sera
  • Control of vaccines and diagnostic biologicals: In-Vivo and In-Vitro control of vaccines (Rev.1, S19).

   

  For any question, please contact us at EURL.brucellosis@anses.fr

   

   

[relayed from European Commission]

EU Reference Laboratories (EURLs) aim to ensure high-quality, uniform testing in the EU and support Commission activities on risk management and risk assessment in the area of laboratory analysis. Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 on official controls defines tasks, duties and requirements for all the EURLs, a list of which is provided in its Annex VII. The Commission can establish new EURLs or change designation of existing ones. The European Parliament and the Council adopted the new Official Controls Regulation No 2017/625 on 15 March 2017. The new rules will gradually become applicable with the main application date being 14 December 2019. 

European Union reference laboratories designated in accordance with Article 93(1) shall be responsible for the following tasks insofar as they are included in the reference laboratories’ annual or multiannual work programmes that have been established in conformity with the objectives and priorities of the relevant work programmes adopted by the Commission in accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014.