From 31 January to 3 February the Head of Lyssavirus Unit of Nancy rabies and wildlife laboratory (European Union Reference Laboratory for Rabies/ OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies) Dr Florence CLIQUET visited the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment „BIOR”. Purpose of the visit was to evaluate eligibility of the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the institute “BIOR” to be nominated as the OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies in Eastern Europe. OIE representative assessed technical capabilities and experts competences. During the visit negotiations about two-year Twinning program were launched, to improve the laboratory towards the official OIE Reference Laboratory status.
World Animal Health Organization has a global network of Reference Laboratories covering different diseases. Seven of them are OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, located in USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany and South Africa. However, the organization has no Reference Laboratory, which could successfully operate in Eastern Europe – the former post-Soviet countries. Latvian advantages in this case are a similar historical experience, awareness of an actual situation and the opportunity to develop existing partnerships with former Soviet bloc countries. In-depth knowledge in a field of a specific disease will enable to carry over and use the acquired techniques and methods in the diagnostics of other diseases in future.
The World Organization for Animal Health was founded in 1924 and Latvia is a one of its Member States.