OIE Collaborating Centre Report
Activities in 2011
Title of Collaborating Centre:
Address of Collaborating Centre:
Istituto G. Caporale
Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo –
ITALY
Tel.:
Tel.: (0039) 0861 332279
Fax:
Fax: (0039) 0861 332251
e-mail address:
website:
Name of Director of Institute
(Responsible Official):
Name (including Title and
Position) of Head of the
Collaborating Centre (formally
OIE Contact Point):
Name (including Title and
Position) of writers of this report
(if different from above)
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food
Safety and Animal Welfare
direttore@izs.it
www.izs.it
Rossella Lelli
Dr Rossella Lelli
Director
Istituto G. Caporale, Teramo
B. Alessandrini, P. Calistri, P. Dalla Villa,
E. Di Giannatale, G. Migliorati, O.
Pediconi, V. Prencipe, G. Scortichini
1
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
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
In 2011, the OIE Collaborating Centre for Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare of
the Istituto “G. Caporale” (OIE-CC-ICT) was engaged in many research, training, information, and dissemination
activities, in member Countries.
OIE-CC-ICT experts continued the research activities in Namibia, in collaboration with the Central Veterinary
Laboratory in Windhoek and Namibian Veterinary Authorities, on the surveillance and control of major animal
diseases, like Dourine and Heartwater disease, and in the development of a monitoring system for Foot-and-mouth
disease (FMD) in the Etosha Park. Common activities were carried out in the framework of a surveillance plan on
Rift Valley Fever (RVF) jointly defined with the Namibian Veterinary Authorities.
The strict collaboration with the Centre National de Veille Zoosanitaire (CNVZ) of Tunis is keeping on. Common
activities are in place for the analysis of data on West Nile disease and bluetongue occurrence in Tunisia.
The OIE-CC-ICT strengthened the collaboration with Biopharma, Rabat, Morocco, in the fields of diagnosis of
(re)emerging animal diseases (bluetongue, West Nile disease, African horse sickness, peste des petits ruminants,
Rift Valley fever) and epidemiological data analysis.
The Centre personnel continued to support the OIE Sub Regional Representation for North Africa, in its activities
of strengthening animal disease surveillance and control.
The collaboration with the National Center for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA) of Cuba, in the framework of a
common project on Classical Swine Fever (CSF), pursued according to established plans.
The Institute, moreover, carried on with the coordination of two OIE twinning projects on:


Brucellosis, with the National Veterinary Laboratory of Eritrea, Asmara, Eritrea;
Bluetongue, with the Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie (IRVT).
In 2011 OIE-CC-ICT experts participated in the EFSA working group for the preparation of a “Scientific opinion
on Bluetongue monitoring and surveillance”.
In the framework of the Discontool project on Swine Fever, the European Reference Laboratory involved OIECC-ICT personnel in the expert group on African horse sickness.
As regards animal welfare, main research activities were focused on the transport of livestock, with particular
reference to the long distance transportation and the use of Control Posts. These activities were carried out in strict
cooperation with other EU partners.
An important work of scientific dissemination was performed with the aim of assuring an improved attention to
dog identification and traceability, in order to safeguard public health in particular in developing countries. For
this purpose OIE-CC-ICT experts were involved in many workshops, seminars and field activities worldwide.
A Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the
University of Milan was signed in June 2011, for the development of research, training and consultancy activities
on the welfare of animals of zootechnical interest, welfare of affection animals and management and welfare of
wildlife.
A Memorandum of Understanding with the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero;
Ministerio de Agricultura; Gobierno de Chile) was signed in July 2011, for the development of research, technical
assistance, cooperation, training, personnel exchange activities on animal welfare, veterinary public health,
epidemiology, risk analysis and animal identification.
2
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
This year, the Institute became the first eLearning provider of the European Commission, for the management of
training courses for official veterinarians and other professionals of the National Competent Authorities of
member, candidate, and third Countries. In the framework of the “Better Training for Safer Food” strategy,
promoted by the Executive Agency for Health & Consumers for the Direction General SANCO of the European
Commission, in fact, the Institute was contracted, upon public evidence procedure, to develop a web based
eLearning platform and to produce 5 eLearning courses addressed to official veterinarians on: Animal Welfare,
HACCP, TSE, RASFF, Food contact materials.
Project partner in the DG SANCO project "Renovation and Promoting high quality control posts in the European
Union", awarded to a large European consortium led by CRPA Spa, the Institute is developing 4 eLearning
courses for official veterinarians, control post, and transport company workers. The courses have the aim of
improving animal welfare standards in control posts. In the framework of the same project, ICT is also responsible
for the implementation and management of a multi-functional web site for the European control posts and
collaborated to the development and validation of a protocol for the assessment of animal welfare after
transportation. This project will continue in 2012, while a new contract will be started for the promotion of “high
quality control posts in the European Union: development of a scientific basis of certification schemes for animal
transport”.
An eLearning programme on “Bio-Safety and Bio-Risk management: development and good practices” is being
carried out in partnership with the World Health Organisation, in the framework of a research project which will
be ended up in 2013.
In 2011, the Institute was awarded with the VII Framework Programme project “Companion Animals
Multisectorial Interprofessional Interdisciplinary Strategic Think Tank On Zoonoses (CALLISTO)”, led by the
Federation of European Veterinarians. ICT is leader of the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) on Epidemiology,
member of the EAG on Sociology and Animal Welfare and manager of the work package on communication and
dissemination. This project will end up in 2014.
ICT personnel attended the FAO expert meeting on dog population management held in Banna (Italy), 15-19
March 2011, with the purpose to identify dog population management options and to give recommendations for
successful implementation of relevant international standards and best practices, with special emphasis on animal
welfare and health. They also attended the FAO Expert Meeting on the Impact of animal nutrition on animal
welfare, held in Rome, Italy, 26-30 September 2011, with the purpose to assess the current state of scientific
knowledge and share lessons learnt on the influence of animal nutrition on animal welfare and to identify feeding
options for different livestock production systems that improve animal welfare while increasing profitability of the
livestock producers and ensuring safety and quality through the food chains.
In the same year ICT started working systematically on the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach
applicable to both agricultural and non-agricultural settings, food and any other field or situation, e.g. epidemic
and non epidemic emergencies. The Institute started a qualification process, aiming at becoming a centre of
expertise on this relevant issue.
In 2011, experts from the OIE-CC-ICT designed the 2011 Italian surveillance plan for Listeria monocytogenes and
Salmonella spp detection in pork meat products exported to the USA. ICARUS, the web-based information system
for the collection and management, on line and in real time, of data generated by controls on establishments
eligible to export meat products into the USA, was used in order to collect the NCA Official Veterinarians
declarations for the processing plants recognised as eligible to export to the United States.
Based on the previous ICARUS experience, a web-based information system for the collection and management,
on line and in real time, of data generated by controls on establishments eligible to export meat products into the
USA and following the request of the Italian Ministry of Health, the OIE-CC-ICT developed and implemented the
extension of this information system for the management of establishments eligible to export products of animal
origin to Third Countries. An information system with the same functions was designed and implemented for
managing the documentation produced by the establishments eligible to export vegetables and fruits to the Russian
Federation.
A National Food Safety Information System was designed and developed for managing data produced by the
official controls and own-check activities and regarding national market and exporting activities. The goal is to
provide the Italian Competent Authority with a tool for an efficient and effective coordination between the
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
3
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
different levels of its organization, to verify the uniform implementation of controls and for implementing a riskbased control system.
In 2011, a close collaboration with Gorgonzola Consortium was started to develop a risk model to estimate the
human cases of listeriosis linked to the consumption of Gorgonzola cheese. Sampling activities were performed in
some processing plants at environmental level, to assess the spread of Listeria monocytogenes in the different
working areas, to map the contaminated surfaces and identify the product contamination mechanism, during the
process flow.
Research activities on Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter continued in 2011, in the framework of the
projects funded by the Italian Ministry of Health. Personnel from the OIE-CC-ICT carried out microbiological and
biomolecular tests to detect and characterise Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter isolated at different
stages of the food chain. In particular for risk analysis purposes, one study on consumer risks of Listeria
monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica infection through the consumption of some RTE pork meat products
prepared in Italy, was started. The study is based on data on Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica
contamination level of pork carcasses sampled at slaughterhouses and on challenge test studies, to assess the
resistance of the two foodborne pathogens in some RTE pork meat products.
Research activities on dioxins and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) also continued in 2011, in the framework of the
projects funded by the Italian Ministry of Health. In particular, the following studies were performed:
-
toxicity study of polybromodiphenylethers (PBDE) flame retardants on Chamelea gallina;
assessment of the levels of toxic chemical contaminants in foods for infants and young children;
kinetic of elimination of dioxins and PCBs in tissues and biological fluids of Bubalus bubalis.
OIE-CC-ICT experts belong to the EU technical workgroup of the Joint management Committee under the EC/US
veterinary Agreement, supporting negotiations on equivalence in the meat sector, applied by EU and US.
An eLearning training course on “Requirements for Countries to export meat, poultry and egg products to the
USA” was developed in 2011 in the framework of a research project. This tool is available in English for member
Countries willing to improve their competences on Veterinary Equivalence Agreements between European Union
and United States of America; European and U.S. Regulatory Authorities; CCAs, regional and local meat
inspection systems; FSIS audits.
An eLearning course on "Veterinary Epidemiology" for official veterinarians was developed in the framework of a
research project. The course is divided in 7 learning modules: disease principles and transmission patterns,
descriptive epidemiology, characteristics and dynamics of animal populations, vector borne diseases
epidemiology, characteristics of diagnostic tests, Geographic Information Systems and disease control, prevention
and eradication strategies.
In the framework of the collaboration agreement with the Pan-American Foot-and-mouth-disease Centre
OPS/OMS (PANAFTOSA), Pan-American Health Organisation of the World Health Organisation, web based
seminars for Latin America on food safety and foodborne diseases were delivered. The programme will continue
in 2012.
The collaboration with Vier Pfoten International was continued in 2011. The web site www.carodog.eu on the
companion animal responsible ownership offered consultancy to over 9.000 visitors from 119 countries. A
technical workshop attended by National Competent Authorities, Universities and Research Institutions, NGOs,
private companies, was held to update about the evolution of debates and activities related to dog identification
and registration in Europe, and to discuss how to strengthen the inclusion of an EU-wide I&R system in the
upcoming Animal Health Law and in the Animal Welfare Strategy of the European Union.
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
Experts from the OIE-CC-ICT are involved in the drafting of the OIE Guidelines for Terrestrial Animal Health
Surveillance and in the activities of the OIE ad hoc group on Epidemiology.
4
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
In collaboration with the Namibian Central Veterinary Laboratory and Veterinary Authorities, the OIE-CC-ICT is
engaged in the development of a monitoring system on FMD for wild ruminants living in the Etosha Park, to
define a possible procedural approach to demonstrate the disease-free status in large wild animal populations.
The OIE-CC-ICT contributed to the development and validation of a protocol for the assessment of animal welfare
after transportation and during the resting time in Control Posts within the project “Renovation and promoting
high quality control posts in the European Union”.
Institute experts on dog identification and registration were called to report at 273rd meeting session of the
Intergroup on the welfare and conservation of animals of the European Parliament. Strasbourg, France, 9 June
2011.
Activities related to an interlaboratory proficiency testing programme involving the Italian official laboratories
(Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali) performing microbiological tests set for meat products exported to the USA
(Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.), continued during 2011. Purpose of the circuit is to monitor the
technical proficiency of laboratories in order to guarantee and maintain the mutual trust between the Italian and
American Control Systems, as well as the equivalence of the certifications issued by the involved laboratories. All
the activities related to Proficiency testing circuit (registration, test results, entering and reporting of elaborated
data) are managed by an on line information system available on the OIE-CC-ICT website.
Furthermore, in 2011 two microbiological interlaboratory proficiency testing (Campylobacter spp.), involving the
Italian official laboratories on meat poultry and faeces were carried out. Moreover, two chemical interlaboratory
proficiency tests for dioxins and PCBs analysis in food and feed samples were organised at EU level within the
network European Union Reference Laboratory (EU-RL) / National Reference Laboratories (NRLs).
This year, the most important companies representing the poultry industry in Italy, requested the Institute
collaboration to provide scientific data to assess the reliability of the microbiological criteria for poultry carcasses,
according to the Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 for assessing the safety level of this kind of product for Salmonella
spp. and Campylobacter spp.
OIE-CC-ICT experts collaborated with the ISO working group for the revision of the ISO methods for the
detection and enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter.
A collaboration with the EU-RL was carried out for the definition of new analytical criteria applicable to the
methods for the official control of levels of dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and non dioxin like PCBs.
OIE-CC-ICT experts also participated in two workshops of the Core Working Group, “Possible use of new MS
techniques / instruments for determination of dioxins and PCBs in feed and food“, coordinated by the EU-RL.
3.
Networking
a)
Maintenance of a network with other OIE Collaborating Centres designated for the same
specialty
In 2011, the Institute continued to manage the Secretariat of the OIE bluetongue reference laboratories
network. Experts from the OIE-CC-ICT
worked on the
maintenance of website
(http://oiebtnet.izs.it/btlabnet/) contents.
The network membership actually includes the OIE Bluetongue Reference Laboratories, three OIE
collaborating centres (OIE-CC on Diagnosis, Epidemiology and Control of Animal Diseases in Tropical
Regions - CIRAD/EMVT ; OIE-CC on Animal Disease Surveillance Systems and Risk Analysis – USDAAPHIS-VS-CEAH; OIE-CC on Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare – ICT)
and members of OIE ad hoc group on bluetongue.
During 2011, OIE-CC-ICT continued the collaboration with the OIE Regional Commission for Europe in the
management of the project “Implementation of surveillance, prophylaxis and contingency plans for
brucellosis, tuberculosis, rabies, foot and mouth disease and anthrax in CIS countries”.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
5
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
In the same year, the Institute maintained the collaborative relationships with the OIE working group on
Animal Welfare and the other OIE CCs, attending traditional and web-based conferences and meetings and
providing the usual exchange of expertise.
b)
Should the need arise, maintenance of a network with Collaborating Centres in other
disciplines
In the framework of the collaboration with the OIE-CC on Animal Disease Surveillance Systems and Risk
Analysis (USDA-APHIS-VS), Fort Collins, CO, USA, OIE-CC-ICT personnel performed a joint mission in
Astana, Kazakhstan, from 16th to 18th of November 2011, for assessing the possibility to develop a joint OIE
twinning proposal on brucellosis surveillance and control.
4.
Placement of expert consultants at the disposal of the OIE
OIE-CC-ICT personnel participated in the following OIE meetings:












Ad hoc Group on CBPP. Paris, France, 25-27 January 2011
OIE Global Conference on Wildlife Animal Health and Biodiversity. Paris, France, 23-25 February 2011
Ad hoc Group on Epidemiology. Paris, France, 1-3 March 2011
Meeting of the OIE ad hoc Group on Vaccine quality related to FMD. Paris, France, 29-31 March 2011
OIE Laboratory twinning feedback session. Paris, France, 30-31 March 2011.
Regional training seminar for OIE focal points in Africa, on "Animal production and food safety".
Hammamet, Tunisia, 4-6 April, 2011
Meeting on FMD evaluation in Maghreb Region. Tunis, Tunisia, 8-10 June 2011
OIE Global Conference on Rabies Control. Incheon, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 7-9 September 2011
OIE brainstorming meeting for modernising the Terrestrial Manual. Vienna, Austria, 12-15 September 2011
Meeting on FMD evaluation in Maghreb Region. Tunis, Tunisia, 19-30 September 2011
Seminar for the OIE National Focal Points on Animal Production and Food Safety. Brescia, Italy, 8-10
November 2011
Meeting of the OIE ad hoc Group on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. Paris, France, 29 November – 2
December 2011
The Director of Istituto “G. Caporale”, Prof. Vincenzo Caporale (retired in November 2011), is the President of
the OIE Biological Standards Commission.
5.
Provision of scientific and technical training, within the remit of the mandate given by the OIE, to
personnel from OIE Member Countries
- Study visit for two representatives from the Food Safety and Veterinary Institute of Tirana (Albania), in the
framework of the WHO Project “Strengthening Food Control Institutions in Albania”. Teramo and Termoli
(CB), Italy, 7- 26 January 2011.
- Visit of a Representative from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, to provide visitors with an
overview on the organisation of official controls on feed and food in Italy. Teramo, 4 February 2011.
- Participation in the ad hoc Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) - Bluetongue vaccine – Follow up on Bovilis
vaccine. London, UK, 7 February 2011.
- Study tour on feed control, reserved to 4 representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development of Israel. Teramo, Italy, 1- 4 March 2011.
- Study visit on Rift Valley Fever and African Horse Sickness, destined to a representative of the Namibian
Ministry of Agriculture. Teramo, 1 - 4 March 2011.
- Training seminar on GIS in veterinary fields, reserved to technical experts from SENASA, Argentina. Teramo,
Italy, 10-11 February 2011.
- 5th Pan Commonwealth Veterinary Conference; Accra, Ghana, 21-23 March 2011.
- Study visit of one Moroccan veterinarian from Biopharma (Rabat). Purpose of the visit was the provision of
training on GIS and the joint analysis of data on WND outbreaks occurred in 2010 in Morocco. Teramo, Italy,
28 March – 8 April 2011.
- Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) Workshop on Implementation of OIE standards for
the control of stray dog population. Zagreb, Croatia, 4-6 April 2011.
6
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
- Study visit on WND virus sequencing for two representatives from the Athens Centre of Veterinary Institutes,
Ministry of Rural Development and Food (Greece). Teramo, Italy, 4 - 8 April 2011.
- Study visit for a representative of the University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brasil, in the framework of the technicalscientific cooperation agreement between this University and the Institute. Teramo, Italy, 4 to 8 April, 2011.
- Training on GIS in veterinary field to personnel of the Institut de Recherche Agronomique du Liban and
Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie. Teramo, Italy, 14-15, 20 April 2011.
- Kick off meeting of the collaborative project on Bluetongue in the Mediterranean Region between the Institut
National de la Médecine Vétérinaire of Algeria (INMV), the Institut de Recherche Agronomique of Liban FANAR, Beyrouth (ILAR), the Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie (IRVT) and the Istituto "G.
Caporale". Teramo, Italy, 27-28 April 2011. Within this Project, 3 Algerian experts attended a training
programme. Teramo, Italy, 27 April - 13 May 2011.
- Australian Workshop on “Plans for animals in natural disasters”. Melbourne, Australia. 4-5 May 2011.
- Training on the “Use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and risk analysis in animal health” for
personnel of the Centre de Veille Zoosanitarie. Tunis, Tunisia, 2-6 May 2011.
- Advanced course on “From GIS data analysis to Web mapping applications” for personnel of the Centre de
Veille Zoosanitarie, Tunis, Tunisia. Teramo, Italy, 9-13 May 2011.
- International seminar on “Estrategias de control de la población canina”. Santiago, Chile. 16-17 May 2011.
- Study visit of three veterinarians from CNVZ (Tunis) to commonly analyse the data on WND occurrence in
Tunisia. Teramo, Italy, 30 May – 3 June 2011.
- Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) Workshop on Bluetongue. Kiev, Ukraine, 7-8 June
2011.
- Study visit for an expert from the Croatian Veterinary Institute. Teramo, Italy, 13-17 June 2011.
- EC Better training for safer food Workshop on “Animal welfare during transport and related operations”. 59
veterinary officers from EU and Third Countries attended this course. S. Martino in Campo, Perugia, Italy, 2124 June 2011.
- Within the Bosnia EuropeAid/126654/C/SER/BA, “Support to implementation and enforcement of BiH, Food
Legislation Bosnia and Herzegovina”, CC OIE experts trained experts on:
o ISO 17025 requirements and ISO method for Listeria monocytogenes detection and enumeration
(3-8 May 2011);
o ISO 17025 requirements and analytical methods for veterinary drugs residues analysis in products
of animal origin (27 April - 7 May 2011);
o ISO 17025 requirements and analytical methods for heavy metals in feed and food (9 - 12 May
2011);
o ISO 17025 requirements and analytical methods for pesticides analysis by LC-MS/MS in food
within the EU program (16 - 20 May 2011);
o ISO 17025 requirements and analytical methods for pesticides, dioxins and PCBs in feed and
food (23 - 26 May 2011);
o determination of PCBs, Dioxin-like PCBs, Organochlorine and Organophosphorus Pesticides in
food and feed within the EU project program “Support to implementation and enforcement of
BiH Food Legislation Bosnia and Herzegovina” (22-25 May 2011);
o study visit on heavy metal analysis in food and feed, veterinary drugs analysis in food and feed.
Teramo, Italy, 21-24 June 2011.
- Training on the “Use of software R for the statistical analysis of animal health data” for personnel of the Centre
de Veille Zoosanitarie, Tunis, Tunisia. Tunis, Tunisia, 4-6 July 2011.
- Training course for Official Veterinarians on “Protocol for animal welfare assessment at the control post”
within the SANCO project D5/10753/2010; Reggio Emilia, Italy. 4-8 July 2011.
- Study visit on CBPP for 1 representative from the Instituto de Investigacao Veterinaria, Huambo, Angola.
Teramo, 14-15 July 2011.
- “One Health Study Tour for Central Asian Countries”. The study tour involved 11 delegates from the
Ministries of Health and Agriculture of Central Asian countries. Rome, Parma, Milan, Teramo, Catania (Italy),
18 - 26 July 2011.
- Study visit for one epidemiologist from the National Veterinary Administration of the Republic of Serbia
(Beograd), on epidemiological models for Classical Swine Fever. Teramo, Italy, 5-9 September 2011.
- Study visit of a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the
Republic of Serbia, in the framework of the IPA EU funded project that aims to support Serbia in the
eradication process of Rabies and Classical Swine Fever. Teramo, Italy, 6-9 September 2011.
- Study visit on “West Nile Disease” for representatives of the National Veterinary Institute of Sweden, the
National Board of Health and Welfare of Sweden and the Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease
Control. Teramo, Italy, 8-9 September 2011.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
7
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
- EC Better Training for Safer Food Workshop on “Animal welfare concerning the farming of pigs”. 62 official
veterinarians from EU and Third Countries attended this course. Pescara, Italy, 27-30 September 2011.
- Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) Workshop on Control of vector-borne diseases.
Algeri, Algeria, 3-4 October 2011.
- Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) Workshop on New diagnostic techniques for
Bluetongue and African Swine Fever. Pokrov, Russia, 4-5 October 2011.
- Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) Workshop on Legal and practical implementation of
EU legislation related to welfare of companion and stray animals. Belgrade, Serbia, 17-18 October 2011.
- EC Better Training for Safer Food Workshop on “ Animal welfare at the time of killing in slaughterhouses”. 62
participants and 6 observers from EU and Third Countries attended the course. Barcelona, Spain, 8-11
November 2011.
- In the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Technical Cooperation Programme, the OIECC hosted two representatives from the CNERV, Centre National d’Elevage et de Recherches Vétérinaires of
Mauritania, and the Ministry of Livestock Development of Kenya for a training period on CBPP. Teramo,
Italy, October-December 2011.
- 13th Meeting of the SCAR (Standing Committee on Agricultural Research) Collaborative Working Group on
Animal Health and Welfare. Limassol, Cyprus. 16-17 November.
- Study visit on CBPP, in the framework of the international cooperation activities carried out with the Central
Veterinary Research Laboratories of Sudan. Teramo, Italy, 21 March – 8 April 2011
- Study visit on CBPP for an expert from the Central Veterinary Research Institute of Lusaka, Zambia. Teramo,
Italy, 17 May - 10 June 2011.
- Lifelong Learning Programme/Erasmus - study visit on the entomological surveillance of Culicoides, for a post
graduate student, in the framework of a collaboration initiative with the Department of Parasitology of the
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice (Slovak Republic). Teramo, July-September 2011.
- In the framework of the OIE Twinning project on Brucellosis, in-field training of four representatives of the
National Animal and Health Laboratory of Eritrea (NAPHL). In December 2011, the OIE-CC organised a final
workshop in Asmara with the aim to elucidate the role of Eritrean National Veterinary Laboratory on
brucellosis in the Region. Representatives from competent authorities of Egypt, Kenya, Arabia, Yemen and
Sudan attended this workshop.
- In the framework of the OIE Twinning project on Food Safety, study visits and in-field training for experts
from the Namibian Central Veterinary Laboratory. An audit to the Food Microbiology and Chemistry
laboratories of the Central Veterinary Laboratory, was also performed by OIE-CC-ICT experts. Windhoek,
Namibia, 2-9 April 2011.
- In the framework of the OIE Twinning project on Food Safety, study visits for 7 experts from the Institut de la
Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie. In 2011, an audit was also performed in the Laboratories for Food
Microbiology and Virology, and on the Quality System management, by OIE-CC-ICT experts. Tunis, Tunisia,
12-17 June 2011.
- In the framework of the OIE Twinning Project on bluetongue, study visits for 11 delegates from Tunisia and 7
from Lebanon.
- Web-seminar on “Criteria for sampling and sampling distribution” in collaboration with the Pan-American
Foot-and-mouth-disease Centre OPS/OMS (PANAFTOSA), Pan-American Health Organisation of the World
Health Organisation. 16 December 2011.
- Study visit on milk and cheese health standards, for 1 student coming from Burundi, in the framework of the
Agreement with the NGO DaPaDu. Teramo, 23 May – ongoing.
- SCFCAH Animal Health and Welfare & Controls and Import Conditions - Presentation of the Italian
epidemiological situation on Dourine.
6.
Organisation of scientific meetings and training on behalf of the OIE
-
8
3rd meeting of the Network of OIE bluetongue reference laboratories. Teramo, Italy, 21 January 2011.
Training Course: “The use of specific software for Geographical Information Systems (GIS)” for OIE
Headquarter. Paris, France, 1-4 March 2011.
Training workshop on surveillance and control of animal brucellosis. Teramo, Italy, 14-16 March 2011. In the
framework of the project for the “Implementation of surveillance, prophylaxis and contingency plans for
brucellosis, tuberculosis, rabies, foot and mouth disease and anthrax in CIS countries”.
International meeting in the framework of the research project: “Network for Vector-Borne Infections
Surveillance”. Teramo, Italy, 4-5 April 2011.
“Fievre Catarrhale du Mouton. Activités de diagnostic, d’épidémiologie et de recherche et l’expérience de
Istituto G. Caporale sur la bluetongue”. Tunisi, Tunisia, 30 April 2011.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
-
7.
First Conference on Animal Welfare in the Baltic Region “Responsible Ownership” (in collaboration with Vier
Pfoten International). Vilnius, Lithuania. 5-6 May 2011.
“Atelier régional FAO / OIE pour le renforcement de l’épidémiosurveillance et du contrôle de la fièvre du Nil
Occidental (WNF) en Afrique du Nord”. Teramo, Italy, 16-20 May 2011.
Workshop on “Capacity building network in Balkan Countries”. Teramo, Italy, 29 June - 1 July 2011.
OIE meeting: “OIE laboratory network on diseases of camelids”. Teramo, Italy, 21-22 October 2011.
2nd CAROdog technical workshop on “Canine traceability in the EU”, Teramo, Italy. 17-18 November 2011.
Coordination of scientific and technical studies in collaboration with other laboratories,
organisations or collaborating centres
-
-
-
-
-
Research activities were carried out in collaboration with the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Windhoek and
Namibian Veterinary Authorities on the investigation on the diffusion of some diseases, like Dourine and
Heartwater disease, and in the development of a monitoring system for Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the
Etosha Park.
In the framework of a research project titled “Network for vector-borne infections surveillance”, funded by the
Italian Ministry of Health, OIE-CC-ICT personnel is collaborating with experts of the Institute of Diagnosis
and Animal Health (IDAH) of Bucharest, Romania, in the surveillance of WND.
During 2011 the collaboration with the National Center for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA) of Cuba in the
framework of a common project on Classical Swine Fever (CSF) continued according to the agreed plans.
In the framework of the collaboration with the Biopharma Laboratory of Rabat, Morocco, OIE-CC-ICT
personnel, jointly with Biopharma experts, are carrying out a spatial analysis of WNV outbreaks occurred in
Morocco in 2003 and 2010, using remote sensing data.
In the framework of two projects funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (“Origin and evolution of recent
vector-borne virus incursions in the Mediterranean Basin”, “Transnational network for early detection of
emerging animal diseases in the Mediterranean Basin”), a collaboration was strengthened with:
o Croatian Veterinary Institute, Split, Croatia;
o Biopharma Laboratory of Rabat, Morocco;
o Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie, Tunis, Tunisia;
o Central Veterinary Institute, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey;
o Centre National de Veille Zoosanitaire, Tunis, Tunisia.
A project titled "Implementation of surveillance, prophylaxis and contingency plans for brucellosis,
tuberculosis, rabies, foot and mouth disease and anthrax in CIS countries” is ongoing. The project aims at
planning and implementing appropriate surveillance activities in order to define the health status of animal
populations and adequate control measures in relation to tuberculosis, brucellosis, FMD, anthrax and rabies in
the following countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia
and Georgia.
Scientific coordination of the project “Effects of resting time at the Control Post on the welfare of sheep
transported over long distances”; in collaboration with IRTA (Girona, Spain); ongoing activity.
Scientific coordination of the project “Patagonia Express Project” for the behavioural assessment of male dogs
before and after chemical and surgical sterilization, in collaboration with Ministries of Health and Agriculture
of Chile, Pennsylvania University (USA) and Veterinarians without Borders (Canada); ongoing activity.
Scientific coordination of the project “Tools for the assessment, characterization and management of urban
stray dog and cat populations”, in cooperation with IRTA (Girona, Spain), UAB (Barcelona, Spain) and Vier
Pfoten (Wien, Austria); ongoing activity.
“Collaborative project on bluetongue in the Mediterranean Region” with the: Institut de la Recherche
Vétérinaire de Tunisie (IRVT), Institut de Recherche Agronomique du Liban.
Collaboration with CIRAD (Centre de Coopération Internationale Recherche Agronomique), Montpellier
(France) in the framework of an European project (Arbo-ZooNet – International network for capacity building
for the control of emerging viral vector borne zoonotic diseases) and a Italian national project (“Network for
vector-borne infections surveillance”).
Collaboration with the Central Veterinary Institute of Etlik, Ankara, Turkey in the framework of Italian
National projects on vector-borne diseases.
In 2011 the OIE-CC-ICT was asked to set up an expert meeting on the diseases of camelids, as requested by
the OIE ad hoc group and by the OIE Biological Standards Commission. The meeting was held in Teramo,
Italy and was intended as an exploratory meeting, aiming at setting up rules and procedures to activate a
network of laboratories for diseases of camelids. The network should build up processes and tools to facilitate
the ability to promptly detect and control the most important diseases of camelids, to exchange information and
to standardize and validate diagnostic tests according to the OIE Terrestrial Manual.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
9
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
In 2011, the Institute continued to actively collaborate with the following Centres and Institutions:
-
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
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
10
OIE Regional Commission for Europe.
OIE Sub-Regional Representation for North Africa.
OIE Collaborating Centre for animal diseases, surveillance systems, risk analysis and epidemiological
modelling, Centers for epidemiology and animal health, (USDA-APHIS-VS-CEAH), Fort Collins, USA.
Centre National de Veille Zoosanitaire (CNVZ) of Tunis, Tunisia. A collaboration agreement between the
Institute “G. Caporale “ and the Centre National de Veille Zoosanitaire was signed on the 9th of December
2010 at Djerba (Tunisia).
School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (UCD), USA. An agreement of cooperation
between the Institute “G. Caporale “ and the University of California is in place since 2010.
National Center for Animal and Plant Health (CENSA), La Habana, Cuba.
Institute of Diagnosis and Animal Health (IDAH) of Bucharest, Romania.
Central Veterinary Laboratory in Windhoek, Namibia.
Centro Panamericano de Fiebre Aftosa OPS/OMS (PANAFTOSA), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural and Livestock Service (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero – Ministerio de
Agricultura – Gobierno de Chile); (Chile).
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan; Milan (Italy).
Research Center for animal production (Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali); Reggio Emilia (Italy)
Institute for Agro-alimentary Research and Technology (Institut de Recerca i Tenologia Agroalimentaries),
Animal Welfare Unit; Monells, Girona (Spain).
Friedrich Loeffler Institute – Federal research Institute for Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry; Greifswald
– Insel Riems (Germany).
Wageningen University & Research centre for livestock; Wageningen (The Netherlands).
University of Agricultural Sciences; Uppsala (Sweden).
Scottish Agricultural College; Penicuik, Midlothian (UK).
Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M
University; Texas (USA).
Institute of Animal Welfare and Behaviour, University of Hannover; Hannover (Germany).
Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California;
Davis, California (USA).
University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Studies; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania (USA).
Department for Health Surveillance, National Veterinary Institute of Oslo; Oslo (Norway).
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA); West Sussex (UK).
VIER PFOTEN International; Wien (Austria).
FVI, France Vétérinaire International
FVE, Federation of Veterinarians of Europe
AETS, Application Européenne de Technologies et de Services (AETS).
Natale F., Savini L., Giovannini A., Calistri P., Candeloro L., Fiore G. (2011). Evaluation of risk and
vulnerability using a Disease Flow Centrality measure in dynamic cattle trade networks. Preventive Veterinary
Medicine, 98, 111-118
Napp S., Gubbins S., Calistri P., Allepuz A.,Alba A., García-Bocanegra I., Giovannini A., Casal J. (2011).
Quantitative assessment of the probability of bluetongue virus overwintering by horizontal transmission:
application to Germany. Veterinary Research 2011, 42:4 doi:10.1186/1297-9716-42-4
Savini G., Monaco F., Terregino C., Di Gennaro A., Bano L., Pinoni C., De Nardi R., Bonilauri P., Pecorari
M., Di Gialleonardo L., Bonfanti L., Polci A., Calistri P., Lelli R. (2011). Usutu virus in Italy: an emergence or
a silent infection?. Veterinary Microbiology. Ehead of print doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.03.036
Colangeli P., Iannetti S., Cerella A., Ippoliti C., Di Lorenzo A., Santucci U., Simonetti P., Calistri P. & Lelli R.
(2011). The national information system for the notification of animal diseases in Italy. Veterinaria Italiana,
2011, 47 (3).
Bajardi P., Barrat A., Natale F., Savini L., Colizza V. (2011). Dynamical patterns of cattle trade movements.
PLoS ONE 6(5): e19869.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Tittarelli M, Bonfini B, De Massis F, Giovannini A, Scacchia M. (2011). Standardisation of an indirect
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of Brucella antibodies in milk from water buffalo
(Bubalus bubalis) in Italy. Veterinaria Italiana, Jan-Mar;47(1):59-64, 53-8.
Marahrens M., Kleinschmidt N., Di Nardo A., Velarde A., Fuentes C., Truar A., Otero JL., Di Fede E., Dalla
Villa P. (2011). “Risk assessment in animal welfare - Especially referring to animal transport”. Prev Vet Med.
102, 157– 163.
Alessandrini B., D’Albenzio S., Turrini M., Valerii L., Moretti M., Pediconi O., Callegari ML., Lelli R. 2011.
Emergency management: eLearning as immediate response to veterinary training need. Veterinaria Italiana.
Accepted for publication.
Di Giannatale E., Prencipe V., Tonelli A. Marfoglia C. & Migliorati G., 2011. Characterization of
Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from food for human consumption, Veterinaria Italiana, Volume 47 (2),
155-164.
Acciari V.A., Torresi M., Migliorati G., Di Giannatale E., Semprini P.†, Prencipe V. Characterisation of
Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from soft and semi-soft cheeses sampled in a region of Italy,
Veterinaria Italiana, Volume 47 (1), 15-23.
Portanti O., Di Febo T., Luciani M., Pompilii C., Lelli R., Semprini P. †. Development and validation of an
antigen capture immunoassay based on monoclonal antibodies specific for Listeria monocytogenes in food
(2011), Veterinaria Italiana, Volume 47(3), 271-290
Torresi M., Vicdalia A. Acciari, Annamaria Piano, Patrizia Serratore, Vincenza Prencipe & Giacomo
Migliorati. 2011. Detection of Vibrio splendidus and related species in Chamelea gallina sampled in the
Adriatic along the Abruzzi coastline, Veterinaria Italiana, Volume 47 (3), 371-378.
B. Solomun, N. Bilandzic, I. Varenina, G. Scortichini. 2011. Validation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay for qualitative screening of neomycin in muscle, liver, kidney, eggs and milk. Food Additives and
Contaminants, 28 (1) 11-18.
N. Bilandzic, B. Solomun Kolanovic, I. Varenina, G. Scortichini, L. Annunziata. M. Brstilo, N. Rudan. 2011.
Veterinary drug residues determination in raw milk in Croatia. Food Control 22, 1941-1948.
C. Giansante, G. Scortichini, V. Melai, S. Pelini, N. Ferri. 2011. Quality of surface fresh waters needing
protection or improvement in order to be support fish life: 12 years of monitoring pursuant to European Union
Directive 78/659/EEC. Veterinaria Italiana, 47 (2), 205-218.
Zahraei Salehi T., Tonelli A., Mazza A, Staji H., Badagliacca P., Ashrafi Tamai J., Jamshidi R., Harel J., Lelli
R., Masson L. Genetic characterization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains isolated from the one-humped
camel (Camelus dromedarius) by using microarray DNA technology (2011). Mol Biotechnol DOI
10.1007/s12033-011-9466-7
Pascucci I., Capobianco Dondona A., Cammà C., Marcacci M., Di Domenico M., Lelli R., Scacchia M., Jago
M., Khaiseb S., Hager A.L., Tjipura-Zaire G., Caporale V. Survey of ixodid ticks and two tick-borne
pathogens in a african buffaloes, syncerus caffer, from the Caprivi strip, Namibia (2011). Journal of Zoo and
Wildlife Medicine 42(4): 630-640
Caporale M., Wash R., Pini A., Savini G., Franchi P., Golder M., Patterson-Kane J., Mertens P., Di
Gialleonardo L., Armillotta G., Lelli R., Kellam P., Palmarini M. Determinants of Bluetongue virus virulence
in Murine models of disease (2011). Journal of Virology, Nov. 2011,Vol. 85, No. 21 p. 11479–11489
Scacchia M., Tjipura-Zaire G., Lelli R., Sacchini F., Hübschle O.J.B, Pini A. Contagious bovine
pleuropneumonia: infection by intubation versus exposure to infected animals, comparative study on disease
outcome (2011). Veterinaria Italiana 47 (4), 407-413.
Monaco F., Savini G., Calistri P., Polci A., Pinoni C., Bruno R., Lelli R. 2009 West Nile disease epidemic in
Italy: first evidence of overwintering in Western Europe? (2011). Research in Veterinary Science, 91 (2011)
321–326
Monaco, F., Polci A., Lelli R., Pinoni C., Di Mattia T., Mbulu R.S., Scacchia M., Savini G. A new duplex realtime RT-PCR assay for sensitive and specific detection of African Horse Sickness virus (2011). Molecular &
Cellular Probes 25 (2-3), 87-93. DOI 10.1016/j.mcp.2011.01.006
In press
1.
2.
3.
Calistri P., Conte A., Giovannini A., Natale F., Possenti L., Savini L. To foresee for preventing: tools for the
management of epidemic emergencies. Veterinaria Italiana.
Calistri P., Natale F., Savini L., Candeloro L., Giovannini A.. EpiTrace and MapDFC: epidemic models based
on animal movemets network for the management of sanitary emergency in Italian cattle population.
Veterinaria Italiana.
Lelli R., Calistri P., Bruno R., Monaco F., Savini G., Di Sabatino D., Corsi I., Pascucci I. West Nile
transmission in resident birds in Italy. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
11
Veterinary Training, Epidemiology, Food Safety and Animal Welfare Collaborating Centre
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Ferrer e., Calistri P., Fonseca O., Ippoliti C., Alfonso P., Iannetti S., Abeledo M.A., Fernández O., Percedo
M.I., Perez A. Estimation of the sensitivity of the surveillance system for Avian Influenza in the western region
of Cuba. Veterinaria Italiana.
Di Nardo A., Creati B., Forcella S., Maitino A., Dalla Villa P., Messori S., Santini F. G., Liu I. K. (2011).
“Development and assessment of an anti pellucid zone DNA contraceptive vaccine for female dogs”,
Vetrinaria Italiana.
Proceedings of the international conference on ‘Responsible Dog Ownership in Europe’, organised by VIER
PFOTEN/FOUR PAWS and Istituto G. Caporale, held in Brussels on 4 and 5 October 2010.
Monaco F., Molini U., Khaiseb S., Calistri P., Pinoni C., Bishi A., Magwedere K., Conte A., Scacchia M.,
Lelli R. 2011. The Rift Valley Fever occurrence in Namibia in 2010. Veterinaria Italiana, submitted.
R. Ceci, G. Diletti, A. Conte, A. Giovannini, C. Ippoliti, G. Scortichini, G. Migliorati. 2011. Dioxin levels in
livestock and grassland after an accidental fire in a site used for disposal of waste material. Chemosphere,
submitted.
A. Giovannini, G. Rivezzi, R. Ceci, G. Diletti, C. Ippoliti, G. Migliorati, A. Ripani, R. Salini, G. Scortichini.
2011. Dioxins levels in breast milk of women living in Campania region: assessment of environmental risk
factors and possible effects on human health. New England Journal of Medicine, submitted.
R. Desiato, S. Bertolini, E. Baioni, G. Scortichini, A. Ubaldi, P. Berruto, P. Grossi, B. Sparagna, G. Cuttica, G.
Ru. 2011. The geographical source of micropollutants in milk: the identification source of fodder to describe
spatial distribution of contamination. Chemosphere, submitted.
A nested PCR approach forunambiguous typing of pestiviruses infecting cattle. (2011). Decaro N., Sciarretta
R., Lucente M.S., Mari V., Amorisco F., Colaianni M.L., Cordioli P., Parisi A., Lelli R., Buonavoglia C. 2011.
In press
Conference proceedings
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
B. Alessandrini. “Better Training for Safer Food: international training programmes on animal welfare”,
Proceedings of the 5th Pan Commonwealth Veterinary Conference, 21.03.11-25.03.11, Accra, Ghana.
Dalla Villa P. (2011). “Animal welfare and natural disasters – An Italian experience”, Proceedings of the 5th
Pan Commonwealth Veterinary Conference, 21.03.11-25.03.11, Accra, Ghana.
B. Alessandrini. “First conference on animal welfare in the Baltic Regions”, Vilnius, 5-6/5/2011
Dalmau A., Realini CE., Temple D., Llonch P., Velarde A., Rodríguez P., Dalla Villa P. (2011). “Transport
duration in lambs: Effect on animal welfare and meat quality”, Proceedings of the HSA International
Symposium, 30.06.11-01.07.11, Portsmouth, UK.
Dalla Villa P., Barnard S., Di Fede E., Podaliri M., Siracusa C., Serpell J. (2011) “Behavioral and
physiological evaluation of welfare in shelter dogs in two different form of confinement”. Proceedings of the
45th Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE) 31.07.11-04.08.11, Indianapolis,
USA.
Dalla Villa P., Barnard S., Di Fede E., Podaliri M., Siracusa C., Serpell J.A. (2011). “Comparison between
group and pair housing conditions: effects on shelter dogs’ behavior and welfare”, Proceedings of the First
Conference of the European Society of Veterinary Ethology for Domestic Animals (SEEVAD), 09.09.1111.09.11, Paris (France).
Franchi P., Dalla Villa P., Alessandrini B., Wartenberg M., Morelli D., Ronchi F., Cianella M., Di Ventura M.
(2011). “Integrated approach to rabies control”, Proceedings of the OIE Global Conference on Rabies Control,
07.09.11-09.09.11, Incheon-Seoul (Republic of Korea).
Dalla Villa P. (2011). “A technological approach to zoonoses control: web service based systems for dog
population management”, Proceedings of the Biotecnologìa Habana 2011, 28.11.11-03.12.11, La Habana
(Cuba).
_______________
12
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011