[Food-borne illnesses: a survey of regional reference laboratories in Italy.].

Many problems exist in the surveillance of human food-borne illnesses, and one of the most important is identifying the responsible microorganisms. For this reason, a survey was carried out to identify regional reference laboratories and laboratories with the capacities necessary for identification of pathogenic microorganisms in Italy. All 21 Italian regions and autonomous provinces completed the survey except three (Basilicata, Tuscany and Sardinia).