OIE Collaborating Centre Reports
Activities in 2012
Title of Collaborating Centre:
Address of Collaborating Centre:
Tel.:
Biotechnology-based Diagnosis of
Infectious Diseases in Veterinary
Medicine
National Veterinary Institute (SVA) and Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Travvägen 22,
751 89 Uppsala, SWEDEN
+46 18 674467
Fax:
e-mail address:
website:
Name of Director of Institute
(Responsible Official):
1: sandor.belak@slu.se
2: sandor.belak@sva.se
3: karl.stahl@sva.se
www.sva.se/oie-cc
SVA: Dr Jens Mattsson,
DG of SVA
SLU: Professor Leif Norrgren,
Head of BVF
Name (including Title and
Position) of Head of the
Collaborating Centre (formally
OIE Contact Point):
Professor Sándor Belák
Name (including Title and
Position) of writer of this report
(if different from above)
Dr Karl Ståhl and Prof. Sándor Belák
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2012
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Biotechnology-based Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases in Veterinary Medicine
Summary of activities specifically related to the mandate of
OIE Collaborating Centres
1.
Activities as a centre of research, expertise, standardisation and dissemination of
techniques within the remit of the mandate given by the OIE
During 2008 the OIE Biological Standard Commission accepted a request to extend our mandate as an OIE
Collaborating Centre at the National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala to include the Swedish University of
Veterinary Science (SLU) as a partner, as indicated in the letter of the 3 October 2008, signed by Dr Bernard
Vallat, Director General of the OIE.
The activities of the Collaborating Centre are managed by the OIE CC Board, which includes scientists from
various departments of SVA and SLU. Board members 2012 are: Prof. Sándor Belák (chairman, director of
OIE CC, SVA and SLU), Dr Jens Mattsson (Director General, SVA), Prof Leif Norrgren (Chairman, BVF,
SLU), Dr. Anna Aspán (bacteriology, SVA), Dr Mikael Berg (virology, BVF, SLU), Dr. Viveka Båverud
(bacteriology, SVA), Dr. Jean-Francois Valarcher (virology, immunobiology and parasitology, SVA), Dr.
Mikael Juremalm (virology, SVA), Dr Neil LeBlanc (virology, SVA), and Dr. Karl Ståhl (scientific secretary
of OIE CC, Deputy State Epizootiologist, SVA).
Research in the frame of National and International projects
The Collaborating Centre is currently conducting research and training in a number of national and
international (mainly EU) projects, which include tasks on the improvement of molecular and “on site”
diagnostics, development of new methods for improved food safety, as well as the international harmonisation
and standardisation of the diagnostic procedures. The work is performed at the Joint Virology Research and
Development Division, at the National Veterinary Institute (SVA, http://www.sva.se/) and the Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU, http://www.slu.se/), in close collaboration with the other
departments at SVA. Further local collaborators are the Department of Pathology, SVA, Olink AB, the
Section of Clinical Virology, Department of Medical Sciences, as well as the Department of Genetics and
Pathology/Molecular Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Internationally, the collaborators are
the large consortia of ongoing EU projects, representing a very wide network of animal health issues over
Europe and other continents. Relevant international industry collaborators include INGENASA, Madrid,
Spain; Luminex Corp, Austin, Tx, US; OptiGene LTD, Horsham, UK; Tetracore Inc, Rockville MD, US;
Prophyl Animal Health, Hungary, among others.
2.
Proposal or development of any procedure that will facilitate harmonisation of international
regulations applicable to the surveillance and control of animal diseases, food safety or
animal welfare
To continue the work on international standardisation and validation of the molecular diagnostic assays, as
supported by ongoing EU projects, by the FAO, IAEA and by the OIE.
3.
Networking
a)
Maintenance of a network with other OIE Collaborating Centres designated for the same
specialty, and
Links between the Collaborating Centre and other international organisations, such as ESVV, FAO,
IAEA were further strengthened. This was acknowledged by the OIE, e.g. as indicated in the letter of Dr.
Bernard Vallat, Director General of the OIE, dated on 1 October 2012.
A process of twinning with the National Animal Disease Diagnostic and Epidemiology Centre
(NADDEC) in Entebbe, Uganda has been initiated, and the application submitted to the OIE in
November 2012.
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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2012
Biotechnology-based Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases in Veterinary Medicine
b)
Should the need arise, maintenance of a network with Collaborating Centres in other
disciplines
Strong network and ongoing activities with the OIE CC at the FAO/IAEA Division in Vienna.
4.
Placement of expert consultants at the disposal of the OIE

Consultant expertise was provided to OIE, IAEA and FAO by regular change of information and by
participation on meetings, see below.

Previous chairmanship in the work of the OIE ad hoc Group on Biotechnology, Paris, France, regular
meetings, preparation of recommendations and reports in biotechnology issues.

Participation in the work of the European Platform for Global Animal Health, Brussels, Belgium, regular
meetings, preparation of recommendations and reports in issues of Transboundary Animal Diseases.

Participation as expert on ASF (Dr. Stahl) at the FAO-ECTAD East African annual meeting Mombasa,
Kenya, July 2012.

Brainstorming on New Approaches to Diagnosis: Applied Genomics, OIE Headquarters, Paris, 10 - 12
December 2012.
Areas of expertise
5.

Research, novel biotechnology-based techniques for diagnostic use, molecular epidemiology

Novel tools of virus detection and rapid characterization (pathotyping).

Detection of emerging “unknown” viruses, viral metagenomics

Laboratory automation, molecular diagnostics

Quality assurance and validation of molecular assays

Modern disease surveillance methodologies
Provision of scientific and technical training, within the remit of the mandate given by the
OIE, to personnel from OIE Member Countries
The laboratory provided training for scientists visiting from various countries to Uppsala. In addition, the
laboratory housed prominent experts, in order to exchange ideas and improve the level of molecular diagnosis.
6.
Organisation of scientific meetings on behalf of the OIE
Co-organisation of the 9th International Congress of Veterinary Virology, held on the Faculty of Veterinary
Science of the Complutense University in Madrid between 4th and 7th September 2012, and supported by the
OIE.
7.
Coordination of scientific and technical studies in collaboration with other laboratories,
organisations or collaborating centres
The Collaborating Centre is co-ordinator or partner in several ongoing EU projects. In the frame of these
projects large international networks collaborate on development of new molecular diagnostic methods,
international standardisation and validation (see www.sva.se/oie-cc for details, web site under updating).
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2012
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Biotechnology-based Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases in Veterinary Medicine
8.
Publication and dissemination of any information within the remit of the mandate given by
the OIE that may be useful to Member Countries of the OIE

“Development of improved analytical methods for use in animal health and in foodborne disease
surveillance for source attribution: a report from the OIE Collaborating Centre for the Biotechnologybased Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases in Veterinary Medicine”, manuscript submitted to OIE Scientific
and Technical Review, Vol. 32 (2), August 2013.

Writing and editing the Terrestrial Manual Chapter 1.1.4./5. on “Validation of diagnostic assays” and
“Development and Optimisation of Nucleic Acid Detection (NAD) assays”, 2012.
Articles from the OIE CC in peer-reviewed scientific journals, 2012:
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
Abro, S.H., Renström, L.H., Ullman, K., Isaksson, M., Zohari, S., Jansson, D.S., Belák, S., Baule, C.:
Emergence of novel strains of infectious bronchitis virus in Sweden. Vet Microbiol. 2012 Mar 23;155(24):237-46. Epub 2011 Sep 25.

Kautto, A.H., Alenius, S., Mossing, T., Becher, P., Belák, S., Larska, M.: Pestivirus and alphaherpesvirus
infections in Swedish reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.). Vet Microbiol. 2012 Apr 23;156(1-2):6471. Epub 2011 Oct 20.

Xia, H., Vijayaraghavan, B., Belák, S., Liu, L.: Detection and identification of the atypical bovine
pestiviruses in commercial foetal bovine serum batches. PLoS One. 2011;6(12):e28553. Epub 2011 Dec
8.

Munir, M., Zohari, S., Belák, S., Berg, M.: Double-Stranded RNA-Induced Activation of Activating
Protein-1 Promoter Is Differentially Regulated by the Non-structural Protein 1 of Avian Influenza A
Viruses. Viral Immunol. 2012 Feb;25(1):79-85. Epub 2012 Jan 12.

Bidokhti, M.R., Tråvén, M., Ohlson, A., Zarnegar, B., Baule ,C., Belák , S., Alenius, S., Liu, L.:
Phylogenetic analysis of bovine respiratory syncytial viruses from recent outbreaks in feedlot and dairy
cattle herds. Arch Virol. 2012 Apr;157(4):601-7. Epub 2011 Dec 31.

Munir, M., Zohari, S., Belák, S., Berg, M.: Double-Stranded RNA-Induced Activation of Activating
Protein-1 Promoter Is Differentially Regulated by the Non-structural Protein 1 of Avian Influenza A
Viruses. Viral Immunol. 2012 Feb;25(1):79-85. Epub 2012 Jan 12.

Yacoub, A., Leijon, M., McMenamy, M.J., Ullman, K., McKillen, J., Allan, G., Belák, S.: Development
of a novel real-time PCR-based strategy for simple and rapid molecular pathotyping of Newcastle
disease virus. Arch Virol. 2012 May;157(5):833-44.

Hornyák, A., Bálint, A., Farsang, A., Balka, G., Hakhverdyan, M., Rasmussen, T.B., Blomberg, J.,
Belák, S.: Detection of subgenomic mRNA of feline coronavirus by real-time polymerase chain reaction
based on primer-probe energy transfer (P-sg-QPCR). J Virol Methods. 2012 May;181(2):155-63. Epub
2012 Feb 18.

Abro, S.H., Renström L,H., Ullman, K., Belák, S., Baule, C.: Characterization and analysis of the fulllength genome of a strain of the European QX-like genotype of infectious bronchitis virus. Arch Virol.
2012 Jun;157(6):1211-5. Epub 2012 Mar 17.

Bálint, A., Farsang, A., Zádori, Z., Hornyák, A., Dencsö. L., Almazán, F., Enjuanes, L., Belák, S.:
Molecular characterization of feline infectious peritonitis virus strain DF-2 and studies on the role of
ORF3abc in viral cell tropism. Journal of Virology, 2012 Jun;86(11):6258-67.

Larska, M., Polak, M.P., Riitho, V., Strong, R., Belák, S., Alenius, S., Uttenthal, A., Liu, L.: Kinetics of
single and dual infection of calves with an Asian atypical bovine pestivirus and a highly virulent strain of
bovine viral diarrhoea virus 1. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2012 Jul;35(4):381-90. Epub 2012
Apr 3.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2012
Biotechnology-based Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases in Veterinary Medicine

Wensman JJ, Jäderlund KH, Gustavsson MH, Hansson-Hamlin H, Karlstam E, Lilliehöök I, Oström IL,
Belák S, Berg M, Holst BS.: Markers of Borna disease virus infection in cats with staggering disease. J
Feline Med Surg. 2012 Aug;14(8):573-82. Epub 2012 May 2.

Xia H, Larska M, Giammarioli M, De Mia GM, Cardeti G, Zhou W, Alenius S, Belák S, Liu L.: Genetic
Detection and Characterization of Atypical Bovine Pestiviruses in Foetal Bovine Sera Claimed to be of
Australian Origin. Transbound Emerg Dis. 2012 May 16. doi: 10.1111/j.1865-1682.2012.01341.x. [Epub
ahead of print]

Bidokhti MR, Tråvén M, Ohlson A, Baule C, Hakhverdyan M, Belák S, Liu L, Alenius S.: Tracing the
transmission of bovine coronavirus infections in cattle herds based on S gene diversity. Vet J. 2012 Jun
29. [Epub ahead of print]

Vijayaraghavan B, Xia H, Harimoorthy R, Liu L, Belák S.: Evaluation of envelope glycoprotein E(rns)
of an atypical bovine pestivirus as antigen in a microsphere immunoassay for the detection of antibodies
against bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 and atypical bovine pestivirus. J Virol Methods. 2012 Jul 2. [Epub
ahead of print]

LeBlanc N, Cortey M, Fernandez Pinero J, Gallardo C, Masembe C, Okurut AR, Heath L, van Heerden
J, Sánchez-Vizcaino JM, Ståhl K, Belák S.: Development of a Suspension Microarray for the Genotyping
of African Swine Fever Virus Targeting the SNPs in the C-Terminal End of the p72 Gene Region of the
Genome. Transbound Emerg Dis. 2012 Jul 8. doi: 10.1111/j.1865-1682.2012.01359.x. [Epub ahead of
print]

Blomström, A-L., Ståhl, K., Masembe, C., Okoth, E., Okurut, A.R., Atmnedi, P., Kemp, S., Bishop, R.,
Belák, S, Berg, M. Viral metagenomic analysis of bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus) in Uganda
identifies novel variants of Porcine parvovirus 4 and Torque teno sus virus 1 and 2. Virol J. 2012 Sep
11;9(1):192. [Epub ahead of print]

Abro, S.H., Ullman, K., Belák, S., Baule, C.: Bioinformatics and evolutionary insight on the spike
glycoprotein gene of QX-like and Massachusetts strains of infectious bronchitis virus. Virol J. 2012 Sep
19;9(1):211. [Epub ahead of print]

Granberg, F., Vicente-Rubiano, M., Rubio-Guerri, C., Karlsson, O., Kukielka, D., Belák, S., SánchezVizcaíno, J.M.: Metagenomic Detection of Viral Pathogens in Spanish Honeybees: Co-infection by
Aphid Lethal Paralysis, Israel Acute Paralysis and Lake Sinai Viruses. . PLoS One., in press.

Liu, L., Larska, M, Xia, H., Uttenthal, A., Polak, M.P., Ståhl, K., Alenius, S., Shan, H., Yin, H., Belák,
S.: Atypical pestivirus and severe respiratory disease in calves, Europe. Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Nov;
18(11):1917-8. doi: 10.3201/eid1811.111298. PMID: 23092604 [PubMed - in process

Gao S, Luo J, Du J, Lang Y, Cong G, Shao J, Lin T, Zhao F, Belák S, Liu L, Chang H, Yin H.:
Serological and molecular evidence for natural infection of Bactrian camels with multiple
subgenotypes of bovine viral diarrhea virus in Western China. Vet Microbiol. 2012 Dec 22. pii:
S0378-1135(12)00693-1. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2012.12.015. [Epub ahead of print]
Oral presentations on international congresses and other scientific meetings, 2012:
Belák, S.; Recent Trends in Viral Diagnosis and in Molecular Epidemiology: A View from the OIE
Collaborating Centre for the Biotechnology-based Diagnosis of Infectious Disease in Veterinary Medicine.
Centers for Epidemiology & Animal Health Seminars, Fort Collins, CO, USA; May 7, 2012
Olofson, A., Widén, F., Liu, L., Belák, S., Leblanc, N.: Field based PCR for Classical Swine Fever. 2 nd
Congress of the European Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, EAVLD, Kazimierz Dolny,
Poland, 1-4 July 2012. Abstract and poster
Metreveli, G., Emmoth, E., Renström, L., Zohari, S., Bálint, A., Widén, F., Muradrasoli, S., Wallgren, P.,
Belák, S., LeBlanc, N., Berg, M., Kiss, I. Virological surveillance and characterization of avian-like
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2012
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Biotechnology-based Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases in Veterinary Medicine
reassortant H1N2 swine influenza viruses in Sweden. 2nd Congress of the European Association of Veterinary
Laboratory Diagnosticians (EAVLD), Kazimierz Dolny, Poland, 1-4 July 2012 (Poster and abstract)
Lin J, Norder H., Belák, S. and Widén, F.: Amplification of near complete Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) genome in
a single fragment. 17th International Bioinformatics Workshop, Belgrade, Serbia, 27-31 August 2012,
Abstract and poster.
Abro, S. H., Cortey M., Ullman, K., Liu, L., Juremalm M., Belák, S., Baule, C: Molecular characterization of
genes encoding the structural proteins of equine arteritis virus. IX. International Congress of Veterinary
Virology, ESVV, Madrid, Spain, September 4-7, 2012. Abstract and poster.
Lin J, Norder H., Belák, S. and Widén, F.: Novel Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) found in a Swedish mouse. IX.
International Congress of Veterinary Virology, ESVV, Madrid, Spain, 3-7 September 2012, Abstract and
poster.
Liu, L., Vijayaraghavan, B., Xia, H., Harimoorthy, R., Widén, F., Belák S: Development of a multiplex
microsphere immunoassay for differentiation of antibodies raised against a marker vaccine candidate
cp7_e2alf and against wild type classical swine fever virus. IX. International Congress of Veterinary Virology,
ESVV, Madrid, Spain, 3-7 September 2012. Abstract and oral presentation.
Yacoub, A., Thyselius, S., Fällgren, P., Belák, S., Leijon, M.: New method for the detection and molecular
Pathotyping of Newcastle disease in a portable Smartcycler II. IX. International Congress of Veterinary
Virology, ESVV, Madrid, Spain, 3-7 September 2012. Poster.
Belák, S.: New viruses in veterinary medicine, detected by metagenomic approaches. IX. International
Congress of Veterinary Virology, ESVV. Madrid, 3-7 September 2012, Keynote lecture
Belák, S.: Recent Trends in Viral Diagnosis and in Molecular Epidemiology. Seminar at Vetsuisse Faculty,
University of Zurich, 25 September 2012
Xia, H., Liu, L., Ferrigno, P.K., Hoffmann, T., Hu, G., Ronne, H., Belák, S. Fishing specific protein binders
for classical swine fever virus using peptide aptamer technology. 9th International Congress of Veterinary
Virology, ESVV; Madrid, Spain, 3-7, September, 2012, oral presentation
Belák, S.: Development of molecular diagnostic methods in veterinary diagnosis, with quality control assays
transferrable and implementation to routine diagnostic laboratories. Consultancy meeting on applying good
laboratory practices in molecular testing of multiple diseases in veterinary laboratories”, IAEA-FAO, Vienna,
16-18 October 2012
Book chapter from the OIE CC, 2012-13:

Belák, S. and Liu, L: Recent Advances in Veterinary Diagnostic Virology: Report from a Collaborating
Centre of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Advanced Techniques in Diagnostic
Microbiology, 2nd edition. Eds: Tang, Yi-Wei and Stratton, Charles W. DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-39707_2, © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013. P. 661-67
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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2012