The 11th workshop of the European Reference Laboratory for Campylobacter

Since 3 to 5 October 2016, the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Abruzzo and Molise “G. Caporale” attended the 11^thworkshop, organized by the European Reference Laboratory (EU-RL) in the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) in Uppsala, Sweden.

The National Laboratories of Reference for Campylobacter of European Union Countries attended this meeting by its representatives. The official representation of the Istituto Zooprofilattico of Abruzzo and Molise in Teramo was, Dr Elisabetta Di Giannatale and Dr. Giuliano Garofolo of the NRL for Campylobacter at IZSAM. The annual seminar had got a remarkable importance, in order to share those experiences among the National Reference Laboratories for Campylobacter in EU Member States. Many topics had been debated during the workshop in Uppsala:

• Some presentations on the research activities both run by the EU-RL and by single LNR;
• some results on interlaboratory comparison networks, organized by the EU-RL;
• the specific role of molecular typing on food surveillance related to the food infections in the EU;
• the European proposal in order to introduce all the process hygiene criteria for Campylobacter;
• the need to introduce a Proficiency tests on Whole Genome Shotgun (WGS).

Professor Mirko Rossi’ speech, coming from the University of Helsinki, in Finland, was very interesting. He debated, above all, on genomic epidemiology on Campylobacter Jejuni.