Reference laboratories
National reference centres
The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie is currently the Italian National Reference Centre for:
- Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease
- Beekeeping
- Diseases at the Animal/Human Interface
- Fish, Crustacean and Mollusc Pathology
- Pet Therapy (Animal Assisted Interventions)
- Rabies
- Salmonellosis
The national reference centres operating at the IZSVe perform the following activities planned at a governmental level: confirming diagnoses made by other laboratories, implementing the standardization of methods, conducting the appropriate “ring tests” (inter-laboratory controls), preparing intervention plans, collaborating with other EU or international reference centres, providing specialised assistance and information to the Italian Ministry of Health.
International reference laboratories
The IZSVe has been appointed as:
- European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease
- FAO Reference Centre for Animal Influenza and Newcastle Disease
- FAO Reference Centre for Beekeeping
- FAO Reference Centre for Rabies
- FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses
- WOAH Collaborating Centre for Diseases at the Animal/Human Interface
- WOAH Collaborating Centre for Epidemiology, Training and Control of Emerging Avian Diseases
- WOAH Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease
- WOAH Reference Laboratory for Avian Mycoplasmosis
- WOAH Reference Laboratory for Salmonellosis
- WOAH Reference Laboratory for Viral Encephalopathy and Retinopathy of Marine Fish
These laboratories are responsible for facing scientific and technical issues associated with the diseases included in the WOAH lists, and are centres of excellence which in addition to conducting research on a specific disease also work towards the standardization of diagnostic techniques.