OIE Reference Laboratory Reports
Activities in 2011
Name of disease (or topic) for
which you are a designated OIE
Reference Laboratory:
Address of laboratory:
Surra (Trypanosoma evansi)
Institute of Tropical Medicine
Department of Biomedical Sciences
Nationalestraat 155
B-2000 BELGIUM
Tel.:
+32 3 247 63 71
Fax:
+32 3 247 63 73
e-mail address:
website:
Name (including Title and
Position) of Head of Laboratory
(Responsible Official):
Name (including Title and
Position) of OIE Reference
Expert:
fclaes@itg.be
www.itg.be
Prof. Dr Philippe Büscher
Dr Ir. Filip Claes
Name (including Title and
Position) of writer of this report
(if different from above):
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
1
Surra (Trypanosoma evansi)
Part I: Summary of general activities related to the disease
1.
Test(s) in use/or available for the specified disease/topic at your laboratory
Test
For
Specificity
Total
CATT
Antibody
Horse, Mule, Dog, Camel, Donkey
597
ELISA
Antibody
Camel
21
Immune trypanolysis
Antibody
Camel, Horse, Dog
20
PCR
DNA
Camel, Horse, Dog
22
Thin film and thick smear
Parasite
Dog, Horse
261
Countries for which tests were carried out: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Morocco, The
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, United Kingdom.
2.
Production and distribution of diagnostic reagents
Type of reagent
Amount supplied nationally
(including for own use)
Amount supplied to other
countries
CATT antigen
1000
22000
CATT positive control serum
90
CATT negative control serum
90
VSG RoTat 1.2 purified antigen
T. evansi trypanosome pellet
4 mg
150 µl
Countries to which reagents were delivered:
France, Germany, Chile, China, South Korea, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Mongolia, United Emirates, Iraq,
Singapore, Spain, Malaysia, Belgium
Part II: Activities specifically related to the mandate
of OIE Reference Laboratories
3.
International harmonisation and standardisation of methods for diagnostic testing or the
production and testing of vaccines
a)
Establishment and maintenance of a network with other OIE Reference Laboratories
designated for the same pathogen or disease and organisation of regular inter-laboratory
proficiency testing to ensure comparability of results
No activity
b)
Organisation of inter-laboratory proficiency testing with laboratories other than OIE
Reference Laboratories for the same pathogens and diseases to ensure equivalence of
results
No activity
2
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Surra (Trypanosoma evansi)
4.
Preparation and supply of international reference standards for diagnostic tests or vaccines
No activity
5.
Research and development of new procedures for diagnosis and control
As part of a PhD study of Stijn Rogé, antigens for T. evansi diagnosis are produced in the yeast Pichia pastoris.
The antigens produced are Invariable Surface Glycoprotein 75 and Variable Surface Glycoprotein RoTat 1.2. The
VSG RoTat 1.2 is produced at large scale for incorporation in a latex agglutination test and in a lateral flow test.
The first is produced at the Institute of Tropical Medicine. The latter will be designed and produced by Coris
BioConcept, a Belgian diagnostic company.
An Ethiopian student, Birhanu Hadush, applied for a PhD grant from the Belgian Cooperation to select mimotopes
that are diagnostic for T. evansi infections. The study will start at ITM in 2012 and foresees isolation of new
T. evansi strains in Ethiopia. When diagnostic mimotopes are selected, corresponding synthetic peptides may
replace native or recombinant antigens in the future.
A Q-PCR, developed for diagnosis of infections with Trypanozoon, including Surra, has been developed and is
available for evaluation.
6.
Collection, analysis and dissemination of epizootiological data relevant to international disease
control
No activity
7.
Maintenance of a system of quality assurance, biosafety and biosecurity relevant to the
pathogen and the disease concerned
All activities at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITM), including the OIE Reference Laboratory,
comply with the ITM Quality Assurance System and regulations concerning biosafety and biosecurity.
8.
Provision of consultant expertise to OIE or to OIE Member Countries
We continue to receive specimens from the camel farm in France where a T. evansi outbreak occurred in 2006.
These specimens are tested for antibodies against T. evansi RoTat 1.2 to assess the serological status of the camel
herd.
Expertise for serological and molecular characterisation of the Trypanozoon species that caused an outbreak of
trypanosomosis in Italian horses was offered to the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise
“G. Caporale” in Teramo, Italy. The intention was to rule out the presence of T. evansi with specific PCR and
immune trypanolysis. The offer was declined.
We assisted in the diagnosis and (unsuccessful) treatment of a dog in Germany infected with T. evansi. A
manuscript of this case has been prepared and submitted to Veterinary Clinical Pathology.
9.
Provision of scientific and technical training to personnel from other OIE Member Countries
Dr Vet Richard Tucker, Dr Vet. Paul Conroy, Dr Vet Richard Williams, veterinarians of the US Army, followed a
training on diagnosis of African trypanosomosis, with particular interest in surra (Trypanosoma evansi). The
training took place from 5 to 9 December. The training consisted in 1° a review of relevant literature on human
and animal African trypanosomosis, in particular on the diagnostic techniques applied for T. evansi infections, 2°
demonstration and actual performing by the trainee of serological, parasitological and molecular diagnostic tests
for T. evansi including CATT/T. evansi, LATEX/T. evansi, ELISA/T. evansi, Giemsa stained thin smear, Capillary
Tube Centrifugation, mini Anion Exchange Centrifugation Technique, DNA extraction and PCR-ITS-1 and PCRRoTat 1.2
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
3
Surra (Trypanosoma evansi)
Mrs Camille Bois from the ANSES laboratory in Dozulé, France, received a training on in vitro culture of
trypanosomes from 21 till 25 September 2011.
10. Provision of diagnostic testing facilities to other OIE Member Countries
CATT/T.evansi serological screening
Country
Austria
Belgium
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
Germany
Morocco
Netherlands
Netherlands
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Sweden
Sweden
Czech Republic
U.K.
Total
Microscopic parasite detection, confirmation
Country
U.K.
Denmark
Germany
Belgium
Netherlands
Netherlands
Spain
Portugal
Total
4
Species
Dog
Dog
Horse
Dog
Horse
Dog
Elephant
Horse
Dog
Dog
Dog
Not defined
Horse
Dog
Dog
Dog
Species
Dog
Dog
Dog
Dog
Horse
Dog
Dog
Dog
Number
3
22
1
1
4
191
8
41
159
5
1
8
4
8
9
132
597
Number
122
1
1
11
11
111
1
3
261
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Surra (Trypanosoma evansi)
Trypanolysis, serological confirmation
Country
France
Germany
Total
Species
Camel
Dog
Number
20
1
21
Species
Camel
Number
20
20
Species
Dog
Camel
Number
2
20
22
ELISA, serological screening
Country
France
Total
PCR, molecular confirmation
Country
Germany
France
Total
11. Organisation of international scientific meetings on behalf of OIE or other international bodies
No activity
12. Participation in international scientific collaborative studies
Full genome sequencing of 4 Trypanosoma equiperdum and 1 Trypanosoma evansi strain in collaboration with the
Wellcome Trust Centre of Excellence for Molecular Parasitology, Glasgow, Scotland (collaboration with Prof.
J.D. Barry).
We participate in the Network on Atypical Human Infection by Animal Trypanosomes (NAHIAT), coordinated by
Dr Philippe Truc, UMR 177 INTERTRYP IRD CIRAD. This network covers investigations on human infected
with T. evansi. The first activity of this network was to write an assessment paper that is submitted to Emerging
Infectious Diseases.
An agreement has been signed between ITM and the Central Veterinary Institute in Dubai to evaluate the newly
developed rLATEX/T.evansi and subsequently the new lateral flow test. The activity in Dubai will start in 2012.
13. Publication and dissemination of information relevant to the work of OIE (including list of
scientific publications, internet publishing activities, presentations at international conferences)

Scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals
de la Roque, S., Balenghien, T., Halos, L., Dietze, K., Claes, F., Ferrari, G., Guberti, V., Slingenbergh, J., 2011. A
review of trends in the distribution of vector-borne diseases: is international trade contributing to their spread?
Rev. Sci. Tech. 30, 119-130.
Gillingwater, K., Gutierrez, C., Bridges, A., Wu, H., Deborggraeve, S., Ekangu, R.A., Kumar, A., Ismail, M.,
Boykin, D., Brun, R., 2011. Efficacy study of novel diamidine compounds in a Trypanosoma evansi goat model.
PLoS. One. 6, e20836.
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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
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