OIE Reference Laboratory Reports
Activities in 2011
Name of disease (or topic) for
which you are a designated OIE
Reference Laboratory:
Address of laboratory:
Bovine viral diarrhoea
National Centres for Animal Diseases/
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Lethbridge Laboratory
P.O. Box 640 (Township Road 9-1),
Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 3Z4 CANADA
Tel.:
Tel.: 403-382-5500
Fax:
Fax: 403-381-1202
e-mail address:
website:
oliver.lung@inspection.gc.ca
www.inspection.gc.ca
Name (including Title and Dr Soren Alexandersen, Executive Director,
Position) of Head of Laboratory
National Centres for Animal Diseases
(Responsible Official):
(NCAD)/CFIA
Name(including Title and
Position) of OIE Reference
Expert:
Dr Oliver Lung, Research Scientist,
National Centres for Animal
Diseases/Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Lethbridge Laboratory
Name (including Title and
Position) of writer of this report
(if different from above):
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
1
Bovine viral diarrhoea
Part I: Summary of general activities related to the disease
1.
2.
Test(s) in use/or available for the specified disease/topic at your laboratory
Test
For
Specificity
Total
Serum neutralization
Serological test (antibody detection)
Group
5870
Virus isolation
Virus detection
Group
1655
Immunoperoxidase monolayer
Virus detection
Group
7211
Multiplex PCR
Molecular test for viral RNA
Type
0
Production and distribution of diagnostic reagents
Type of reagent
Amount supplied nationally
(including for own use)
Amount supplied to
other countries
Virus (Type 1 – Singer)
5.5 ml
Nil
Virus (Type 1 – New York1)
Nil
Nil
Virus (Type 2 – 125c)
Nil
Nil
Monoclonal antibodies
0.5 ml
Nil
Monoclonal antibody pool
4 ml
Nil
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
Nil
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
Nil
4.
Preparation and supply of international reference standards for diagnostic tests or vaccines
Antisera to type 1 and type 2 BVD virus which are suitable for international standard reagents are available.
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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Bovine viral diarrhoea
5.
Research and development of new procedures for diagnosis and control
A project to develop rapid multiplex electronic microarray assays on a fully automated “sample-to-answer”
instrument and an automated “amplicon-to-answer” instrument for simultaneous detection and differentiation of
type I and II BVDV and six other bovine viruses is in progress.
Evaluation of two commercially available ELISA assays versus the in-house developed serum neutralization test
for detection of antibodies against Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) is ongoing.
A project to develop microarray-based assays for detection of atypical pestiviruses and differentiation from BVDV
type I, BVDV type II, CSFV and BDV is ongoing.
A collaboration with a US company (VMRD, Inc.) for developing a capture ELISA assay for BVDV using a pool
of 6 monoclonal antibodies developed at the CFIA Lethbridge laboratory is in ongoing.
6.
Collection, analysis and dissemination of epizootiological data relevant to international disease
control
A recent manuscript by Xia et al., (PLOS one (2011) 12: e28553) described for the first time the detection of the
emerging atypical pestiviruses in commercial fetal bovine serum sourced from different geographic regions. This
result suggests that the virus may have a wider geographical distribution that previously described.
7.
Maintenance of a system of quality assurance, biosafety and biosecurity relevant to the
pathogen and the disease concerned
The BVD reference laboratory is ISO 17025 accredited by the Standards Council of Canada and operates under a
Quality Management System. Diagnostic tests for BVD are performed using standardized protocols, reagents and
control samples by certified technicians, who must pass annual internal and external proficiency panels. Regular
activities also include QC procedures for tests and equipment; internal and external audits and regular
recertification of the laboratory.
8.
Provision of consultant expertise to OIE or to OIE Member Countries
Nil
9.
Provision of scientific and technical training to personnel from other OIE Member Countries
Nil
10. Provision of diagnostic testing facilities to other OIE Member Countries
Nil
11. Organisation of international scientific meetings on behalf of OIE or other international bodies
Nil
12. Participation in international scientific collaborative studies
Collaboration with VMRD, Inc. (USA) to develop an antigen capture ELISA using monoclonal antibodies
developed at CFIA Lethbridge
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
3
Bovine viral diarrhoea
13. Publication and dissemination of information relevant to the work of OIE (including list of
scientific publications, internet publishing activities, presentations at international conferences)

Presentations at international conferences and meetings
O. Lung, D. Deregt, D. Hodko, J. Pasick, Z. Zhang, D. King, S. Reid, K. Burton Hughes, T. Furukawa-Stoffer, S.
Ohene-Adjei, A. Beeston, M. Fisher, K. Hahn & A. Ambagala. Development of Multiplex-PCR and Electronic
Microarrays for Detection and Typing of Avian and Bovine High Consequence Viruses. Conference of Research
Workers in Animal Diseases. December 4-6. Chicago, Illinois.
O. Lung, A. Ambagala, D. Hodko, J. Pasick, Z. Zhang, D. King, S. Reid, K. Burton Hughes, T. Furukawa-Stoffer,
S. Ohene-Adjei, A. Beeston, M. Fisher, K. Hahn & D. Deregt. Electronic Microarray Detection and Typing of
Avian and Livestock Viruses. Molecular Diagnostics World Congress, September 28-30, 2011, San Francisco,
California.

Scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals
Manuscript in preparation (BVD related)
O. Lung et al., Electronic Microarray for Detection of High Consequence Viruses in Cattle.
_______________
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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011