This section is to give support to those biosecurity officers and diagnostic specialists who are involved in making decisions on the identification of pests and meeting the requirements of ISPM No 27: Diagnostic protocols for regulated pests.

Diagnostic protocols are arranged according to the following sections:

1. Pest information
2. Taxonomic information
3. Detection
4. Identification
5. Records
6. Contact points for further information
7. Acknowledgements
8. References.

The purpose of harmonised diagnostic protocols is to support efficient phytosanitary measures in a wide range of circumstances and to enhance the mutual recognition of diagnostic results by biosecurity offices, which may also facilitate trade. Furthermore, these protocols should aid the development of expertise and technical cooperation, and they may also be relevant to the accreditation and/or approval of laboratories.

Diagnostic protocols may be used in different circumstances that may require methods with different characteristics. Examples of such circumstances grouped according to an increased need for high sensitivity, specificity and reliability are:

1. routine diagnosis of a pest widely established in a country;
2. general surveillance for pest status;
3. testing of material for compliance with certification schemes;
4. surveillance for latent infection by pests;
5. surveillance as part of an official control or eradication programme;
6. pest diagnostic associated with phytosanitary certification;
7. routine diagnosis for pests found in imported consignments;
8. detection of a pest in an area where it is not known to occur;
9. cases where a pest is identified by a laboratory for the first time; and
10. detection of a pest in a consignment originating in a country where the pest is declared to be absent.

Assistance in the identification of an intercepted pest can be obtained from many resources, primarily at present from books and other hard-copy such as leaflets and datasheets. The aim of this operational manual is to link with electronic diagnostic aids that are currently being developed on the internet and as CDRom, such as:

• CABI Taxonomic Identification Tools – Crop Protection Compendium
• Lucid Identification Keys