§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the reliability of blood tests for rabies antibodies subsequent to vaccination. [15639]
§ Mr. Douglas HoggUnder the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974, as amended in particular by the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) (Amendment) Order 1994, dogs and cats which are the subject of a commercial transaction may be imported into the United Kingdom from another EU member state provided that they have, inter alia, been tested for antibodies using a
serological test carried out in accordance with World Health Organisation specifications".The test commonly used by laboratories throughout the EU is the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. This test is based on a World Health Organisation specification, but has undergone a number of modifications over the years in different laboratories. A revised protocol which should overcome problems with test result variability has now been submitted for ratification following a detailed collaborative study between a number of EU laboratories.