Il Laboratorio nazionale

Since 2001, Regulation (EC) n. 999/2001 contains provisions for the prevention, control and eradication of some transmissible spongiform encephalopathies of animals. In this context, the role of National Reference Laboratory for TSE surveillance has been assigned to the National Reference Center for the study and research on animal encephalopathies and comparative neuropathologies (CEA) of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale in Turin.

The changes that have been made to Regulation (EC) n. 999/2001 have progressively widened the areas of surveillance on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) of animals. In particular - alongside the active and passive monitoring activity - the community legislation has established the need to carry out genetic investigations and characterization of prion strains in all cases of small ruminant TSE registered in each member country, extended from 2014 also to all cases of bovine TSE.

The Ministry of Health, recognizing the competence and experience of the ISS in these specific areas of activity - and in application of the aforementioned EU legislation - has assigned the ISS the role of National Reference Laboratory (NRL) in the field of genetics and characterization of TSE strains, carried out in close collaboration with the NRL of the CEA.