# Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/1554 of 11 September 2015 laying down rules for the application of Directive 2006/88/EC as regards requirements for surveillance and diagnostic methods (notified under document C(2015) 6188) (Text with EEA relevance), Division II.3: Sampling and diagnostic methods to rule out or to confirm the presence of VHS or IHN

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

When a suspicion of either VHS or IHN or both is required to be confirmed or ruled out in accordance with Part 4 of the Aquatic Animal Health Regulations, the following inspection, sampling and testing procedures shall be complied with:
(a)the farm under suspicion shall be subject to at least one health inspection and one sampling of 10 fish, when clinical signs or post-mortem signs consistent with infection with either VHS or IHN or both are observed or minimum 30 fish, when clinical or post-mortem signs are not observed. Samples shall be tested using one or more of the diagnostic methods set out in points (i) and (ii) in accordance with the detailed diagnostic methods and procedures as set out in Section II of Part 1 of Annex II:
(i)conventional virus isolation in cell culture with subsequent immunochemical or molecular virus identification;
(ii)virus detection by RT-qPCR;
(iii)Other diagnostic techniques of proven similar efficacy such as Indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), Enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA), RT-PCR and Immunohistochemistry (IHC).
(b)the presence of VHS shall be considered as confirmed, if one or more of those diagnostic methods are positive for VHSV. The presence of IHN shall be considered as confirmed, if one or more of those diagnostic methods are positive for IHNV. The confirmation of the first case of VHS or IHN in constituent GB territories, zones or compartments previously not infected shall be based on conventional virus isolation in cell culture or RT-qPCR;
(c)Suspicion of either VHSV or IHNV or both may be ruled out, if cell cultivation or RT-qPCR tests reveal no further evidence of the presence of either VHSV or IHNV or both.

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2015/1554/annex/I/part/1/division/II/division/II.3 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2015-1554/annex-I/part-1/division-II/division-II.3
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.