OIE Reference Laboratory
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The objective of OIE laboratory is to provide timely and accurate diagnosis in order to facilitate efficient management and control of FMD in Botswana and other regions. Botswana Vaccine Institute, as the regional OIE reference laboratory for FMD, participates in early diagnosis and provision of vaccine confirmation for control of the following outbreaks in keeping up with the motto of providing animal health solution in the region:
Vaccine Confirmations by OiE
The OIE Laboratory successfully hosted OIE/FAO FMD Reference Laboratories Network meeting in Gaborone in June 2007, which discussed among other issues, twinning concept and the possibility of inter-laboratory collaboration in vaccine potency testing as well as way7s to harmonise activities of these labs. In August the OIE laboratory was visited by Professor Vincenzo Caporales, the President of the Scientific Commission from the OIE Head Office, who was on a mission to promote the twinning concept for FMD laboratories.
1. General Activities Related to Diagnosis of FMD Virus
1.a)Types of test(s)
Virus identification and characterisation (typing) :
- Complement Fixation 50% (CF 50) with guinea pig hyperimmune sera.
- ELISA with polyclonal antibodies.
- Virus neutralisation and cross-serum neutralisation tests on secondary lamb kidney cell.
- All the FMD positive samples of paragraph (1b) are tested by these different methods.
Antibody detection and titration (surveillance) :
- ELISA.
- Virus Neutralisation Test on secondary lamb kidney cells.
Nucleotide sequence determination of FMD virus isolates :
- The DNA sequencing result confirms the virus identification and characterisation results for the positive samples (Sequcing and RT - PCR).
Quality Vaccines, Healthy
Cows
1.b) Virus isolation
Virus isolation (diagnosis) :
- inoculation of cultures of secondary lamb kidney cells or of pig kidney cell line.
2. Production, testing and distribution of diagnostic reagents
rabbit hyperimmume sera for ELISA.
guinea-pig hyperimmume sera for Complement Fixation tests and ELISA.
SAT1, SAT2, SAT3, O, and A FMDV for virus neutralisation tests.
Inactivated antigens for ELISA.
3. Research especially related to development of diagnostic methods and vaccines
B. V. I. Continued collaboration with the Pan-American Foot and Mouth Disease Center in regard to the EITB assay for serodiagnosis of FMD in cattle.
Activities specifically related to the mandate of OIE Reference Laboratories
1. International harmonisation and standardisation of methods for diagnostic testing or the production and testing of vaccines
2. Preparation and supply of international reference standards for diagnostic tests or vaccines
Reagents (inactivated antigen) are supplied to the Central Veterinary Laboratory, Harare, Zimbabwe and National Veterinary Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana.
3. Collection, analysis and dissemination of epizootiological data relevant to international disease control
Collection and analysis of FMD samples coming from SADC and others are performed. See paragraph 1 (b) (Virus isolation).
4. Provision of consultant expertise to OIE or to OIE Member Countries
5. Provision of scientific and technical training to personnel from other OIE Member Countries
6. Organisation of international scientific meetings on behalf of OIE or other international bodies
7. Participation in international scientific collaborative studies
8.Publication and dissemination of information relevant to the work of OIE (including list of scientific publications, internet publishing activities, presentations at international conferences).
