Interlaboratory proficiency testing

The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe) organizes interlaboratory proficiency testing (PT) to analyze the quality of results through the AQUA proficiency testing platform, which includes different circuits according to the area of technical competence: food microbiology and diagnostic, fish disease, virology, serology and molecular biology.

The PT schemes are intended to:

  • ensure high quality, uniform, harmonized testing;
  • asses the reliability of testing personnel;
  • collate material concerning the results and diagnostic methods in use;
  • establish effectiveness and comparability of new procedures;
  • identify the performance characteristics of valid methods (collaborative trials);
  • verify the proper application of test methods;
  • suggest recommendations in case of detection of critical gaps in the techniques used;
  • improve quality assurance via corrective actions.

Circuits of AQUA platform

  • Food microbiology (MA): microorganism enumerations (quantitative methods) and microorganisms detection (qualitative methods)
  • Serology for bovine and swine diagnostics (SI): qualitative methods
  • Molecular biology for bovine and swine diagnostics (BM): qualitative methods
  • Microbiology diagnostics (MD): microorganisms detection (qualitative methods) and identification
  • Isolation, identification and Salmonella typing salmonella (SA): microorganisms detection (qualitative methods), identification and typing
  • Virology, serology and molecular biology diagnosis of avian influenza and Newcastle disease (IN): qualitative methods (detection and characterization)
  • Bacteriology of aquatic organisms (IB): microorganisms detection (qualitative methods) and , identification
  • Virology of aquatic organisms (IV): quantitative and qualitative (titration and identification)
  • Parasitology of molluscs (PM): qualitative methods
  • Rabies diagnosis (RV-D): qualitative methods

Contacts

For information on AQUA PTs, please contact the Quality Systems Management and Accreditation Unit:

Quality Systems Management and Accreditation Unit
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie
Viale dell’Università, 10, 35020 Legnaro (Padua)
Email: qualita@izsvenezie.it