Division E LABORATORY TESTING

Laboratory tests shall be carried out in accordance with the diagnostic procedures for the confirmation and differential diagnostic of avian influenza (AI) set out in Annex III to Directive 92/40/EEC (including examination of sera from ducks and geese by haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test. However, if laboratory tests not laid down in Directive 92/40/EEC, nor described in the OIE Terrestrial Manual, are envisaged, Member States shall provide the necessary validation data to the CRL, in parallel to submitting their programme to the Commission for approval. All positive serological findings shall be confirmed by the National laboratories for avian influenza by an haemagglutination-inhibition test, using designated strains supplied by the Community Reference Laboratory:

H5

1. (a)

   Initial test using Duck/Denmark/64650/03 (H5N7)

2. (b)

   Test all positives with Ostrich/Denmark/72420/96 (H5N2) to eliminate N7 cross reactive antibody.

H7

1. (a)

   Initial test using Turkey/England/647/77 (H7N7)

2. (b)

   Test all positives with African Starling/983/79 (H7N1) to eliminate N7 cross reactive antibody.