caa a22 4500 605466092 CHVBK 20210128100305.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20151001xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s00769-015-1158-8 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00769-015-1158-8 The proficiency testing program of the European Union Reference Laboratory for E. coli [Elektronische Daten] [Clarissa Ferreri, Fabio Galati, Laura Grande, Antonella Maugliani, Valeria Michelacci, Fabio Minelli, Rosangela Tozzoli, Alfredo Caprioli] Since 2006, the European Union Reference Laboratory for E. coli (EU-RL) has developed and evaluated standard operating procedures for the identification and typing of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) and for their detection in food, mainly based on PCR detection of virulence genes. In particular, the EU-RL coordinated the development of the Technical Specification ISO TS 13136:2012 on the detection of VTEC in food and animal feed, based on the real-time PCR screening of food enrichment cultures. A total of 13 proficiency testing (PT) rounds were organized: 7 PTs on the identification and typing of VTEC and other pathogenic E. coli strains (detection of virulence genes by PCR and identification of the VTEC serogroups by serological and molecular methods) and 6 PTs on the detection of VTEC in different matrices (carcass swabs, milk, spinach, water, seeds and sprouts), analyzed by using the ISO TS 13136 method. A Web-based platform for submitting the PT results was developed and used since 2010. Between 2007 and 2014, a positive trend was observed in both the number of participants and their performance. Through its PT program, the EU-RL has consolidated a network of reference laboratories for the control of pathogenic E. coli in the EU Member States. Such a network can contribute to gather harmonized data on the prevalence of VTEC in food, to improve the knowledge of the epidemiology of VTEC infections in Europe, and to provide the EC with more standardized operative structures and tools to face possible emergencies in this field of food safety. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2015 Proficiency testing nationallicence Escherichia coli nationallicence Verocytotoxin nationallicence Reference laboratory nationallicence Real-time PCR nationallicence Ferreri Clarissa Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut Galati Fabio Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut Grande Laura Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut Maugliani Antonella Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut Michelacci Valeria Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut Minelli Fabio Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut Tozzoli Rosangela Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut Caprioli Alfredo Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut Accreditation and Quality Assurance Springer Berlin Heidelberg 20/5(2015-10-01), 381-385 0949-1775 20:5<381 2015 20 769 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-015-1158-8 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-015-1158-8 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Ferreri Clarissa Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Galati Fabio Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Grande Laura Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Maugliani Antonella Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Michelacci Valeria Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Minelli Fabio Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Tozzoli Rosangela Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Caprioli Alfredo Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Accreditation and Quality Assurance Springer Berlin Heidelberg 20/5(2015-10-01), 381-385 0949-1775 20:5<381 2015 20 769