National Reference Laboratory for Bluetonque

Characteristics of the main activities of the NRL   

• laboratory diagnosis of bluetongue (BT)
• confirmation of the test results of diagnostic laboratories
• coordination and professional guarantee of laboratory diagnostics of BT
• organisation of inter-laboratory ring tests 
• organisation and evaluation of entomological surveillance of Culicoides as a BT vector
• characterisation and conservation of bluetongue virus isolates
• collaboration with the Reference Laboratory: EURL for African horse sickness and Bluetongue: Laboratorio Central Veterinaria-Sanidad Animal (Algete, Madrid, Spain)
• expert consultations for the State Veterinary Administration and Regional Veterinary Administration 
• provision of data and their evaluation according to the requirements of the State Veterinary Administration Czech republic

Control of the activities of the NRL for bluetonque 

• Regular participation in international proficiency tests organised within the EU:                                                                                               - EURL for African horse sickness and Bluetongue: Laboratorio Central Veterinaria-Sanidad Animal (Algete, Madrid, Spain)
• submission of the annual report on the activities of the NRL for ASF to the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Veterinary Administration

Monitoring system

• In 2023, bluetongue monitoring will be carried out throughout the territory of the Czech Republic in accordance with Annex I of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2020/689 on implementing rules for Council Directive 2016/429 concerning the control, monitoring, surveillance and restrictions on movements of certain animals of susceptible species in relation to FMD
• the monitoring of ASF has been planned for the period of probable vector emergence, i.e. May to November
• the monitoring of ASF in 2023 includes only serological testing of cattle
• the number of samples for each regional veterinary administration of the State Veterinary Administration took into account the size of the adult (over 24 months old) cattle population in each region on 1 January 2023
• the start of serological monitoring is set for 1 May 2023
• the blood sample is accompanied by a properly completed laboratory test order - test code EpA653

Epizootological situation in the EU

Map 1 - EU CTV restriction zones in January 2023



Map 2 - CTV outbreaks in Europe from 1 May 2022 to 1 June 2023



Map 3 - CTV Restriction Zones in Germany 2022/2023



Table 1: Number of new outbreaks outside restriction zones in 2023 - source German National Reference Laboratory for Bluetongue Disease (BTV) (FLI, Germany)



Table 2.  Number of new outbreaks outside the restriction zones in 2022 - source German National Reference Laboratory for Bluetongue Disease (BTV) (FLI, Germany)