Duties of the ASF-URL
CISA-INIA was designated European Reference Lanoratory for ASF in June 2002 (COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2002/60/EC)
(a) to coordinate, in consultation with the Commission, the methods employed in the Member States for diagnosing African swine fever, specifically by:
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storing and supplying cell cultures for use in diagnosis,
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supplying standardized sera, conjugate sera and other reference reagents to the national laboratories in order to standardize the tests and reagents employed in the Member States,
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building up and holding an African swine fever virus collection,
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organizing periodic comparative tests of diagnostic procedures at Community level,
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collecting and collating data and information on the methods of diagnosis used and the results of tests carried out,
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characterizing isolates of the virus by the most up-to-date methods available to allow greater understanding of the epizootiology of African swine fever,
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keeping abreast of developments in African swine fever surveillance, epizootiology and prevention throughout the world,
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retaining expertise on the virus causing African swine fever and other pertinent viruses to enable rapid differential diagnosis;
(b) to make the necessary arrangements for training or re-training experts in laboratory diagnosis with a view to harmonising diagnostic techniques;
(c) to have trained personnel available for emergency situations occurring within the Community;
(d) to perform research activities and whenever possible coordinate research activities directed towards an improved control of African swine fever;
(e) to draw up technical protocols relating to procedures to verify the efficacy of disinfectants against the African swine virus.