WOAH Reference Laboratories

WOAH Reference Laboratories are designated to pursue the scientific and technical problems relating to a named disease. The WOAH expert responsible for the named diseases has the scientific and technical standing at the national and international levels to provide scientific and technical assistance, and to expert advice on topics linked to the diagnosis, epidemiology and control of the disease for which the they are responsible.

Some of the key responsibilities of the Reference Laboratory and Designated Expert are:

To store and distribute to national laboratories biological reference products and any other reagents used in the diagnosis and control of the designated pathogens or diseases;
To use, promote and disseminate diagnostic methods validated according to WOAH Standards;
To develop, standardise and validate according to WOAH Standards new procedures for diagnosis and control of the designated pathogens or diseases;
To provide diagnostic testing facilities, and, where appropriate, scientific and technical advice on disease control measures to WOAH Member Countries;
To carry out and/or coordinate scientific and technical studies in collaboration with other laboratories, centres or organisations;
To provide scientific and technical training for personnel from WOAH Member Countries;
To organise inter-laboratory proficiency testing with laboratories other than WOAH Reference Laboratories for the same pathogens and diseases to ensure equivalence of results;

Cefas is one of the listed WOAH Reference Laboratories for the following diseases:

Koi Herpes Virus (KHV)
Spring Viraemia of Carp Virus (SVCV)

These laboratories are led by Dr David Stone