SIAD labs get NABL accreditation

Thiruvananthapuram: The three laboratory divisions of the state referral laboratory belonging to State Institute for Animal Diseases (SIAD), Palode, have been accredited by NABL (national accreditation board for testing and calibration laboratories) in the new ISO-17025:2017 version. The division of microbiology, molecular biology and parasitology has got accredited in ISO17025:2017 version of NABL.
The test for rabies diagnosis, molecular diagnosis for elephant endotheliotropic herpes virus infection; and diagnosis of endoparasitic infections has come under the NABL purview. The diagnosis of rabies and herpes virus infection were already accredited since 2019 in ISO17025:2005 version.
The SIAD is the sole lab in India having NABL accreditation for EEHV diagnosis; and receives samples from different states of the country for EEHV diagnosis, which is a fatal disease in elephant calves.
The rabies diagnostic laboratory of SIAD is the only NABL accredited lab in Kerala for rabies diagnosis. The SIAD rabies lab also caters to services in the human sector as well.
It has played an instrumental role in the laboratory confirmation of human rabies cases which was reported in 2022. Nearly 22 human cases were reported during last year.
SIAD is in the process of bringing maximum tests under NABL purview in the coming years.
The SIAD is the ‘state rabies referral lab’ listed by Government of India for animal rabies. The accreditation has boosted the acceptance and reliability of the testing laboratory, according to a press note issued by AHD.