Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor)
FGBI «ARRIAH»
In 2004 the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) was established by the Russian Federation Government Decision. The FGBI “ARRIAH” (hereinafter, the ARRIAH) is involved in control and surveillance activities in veterinary field being subordinated to the Rosselkhoznadzor since 2004.
The ARRIAH was established in 1958 as the All-Union Foot-and-Mouth Research Institute. The Institute has successfully addressed the initial task on development of effective FMD vaccines as well as diagnostica and measures for FMD control. In 1990s the scope of the ARRIAH activities had to be extended. First of all, economically significant avian, porcine, bovine and ovine/caprine infectious diseases were covered. Later, fish diseases, rabies, prion diseases, ovine/caprine slow infections were included in the ARRIAH’s scope of competence.
For the purpose of complete risk analysis of animal infectious diseases spread including introduction of infections from foreign countries, thorough assessment of epidemic situation in the Russian Federation and in other countries as well as for making predictions of its development, the Information Analysis Centre was established and the results of its work are used by the Rosselkhoznadzor for making key decisions on export/import and transit operations, inspections of processing establishments. Link
Within the ARRIAH structure the ARRIAH Testing Centre was established and accredited with its activities focusing on independent testing of food products, raw food materials and feeds for animals for their quality and safety parameters indicative of their compliance with current regulatory standards and requirements. The Testing Centre has enough technical capacity and equipment to perform various tests like, for example, state-of-the-art analyzers (gas and liquid chromatographers, mass-spectrometers), apparatus and supporting machines, reference samples and reagents required to carry out testing compliant with the regulatory requirements and ensuring personnel and environmental safety. The Testing Centre includes the Laboratory for Chemical Analysis and Laboratory for Microbiological Analysis involved into the following activities:
- Testing of food product, raw food material, grain and animal feed safety;
- Testing of food product, grain and feed quality;
- Biochemical analysis of animal sera;
- Food product identification (milk, dairy products, honey);
- Laboratory tests of food products and feeds of animal and plant origin for their quality and safety in terms of microbiological parameters pursuant to regulatory requirements;
- Laboratory tests of hand and equipment swabs for their compliance with sanitary and hygienic requirements.
Besides, the Testing Centre participates in interlaboratory and international proficiency tests, implements Governmental Programs, arranges training courses and educational workshops. Link
For the purpose of developing and further implementation of the Rosselkhoznadzor National Veterinary Information System IT Centre was established. Since 2007 the Centre’s personnel (at the time of establishment – Software Department) has been developing and implementing system and application software for the needs of ARRIAH, Rosselkhoznadzor and its subordinate institutions. Within this time the Centre by own efforts has developed and implemented five Federal National Information Systems and more than 10 departmental systems. The developed information automated systems provide with great opportunities for collection, analysis and use of information on the object of surveillance (subjects, objects, processes) and constitute the common National Information System in the veterinary field. Link.
The ARRIAH maintains ties with leading veterinary centres in Great Britain, France, Poland, Finland, USA, Germany and CIS countries.
The World Organization for Animal Health (the OIE) granted the ARRIAH three international statuses: OIE Regional Reference Laboratory for FMD (1995), OIE Collaborating Centre for Diagnosis and Control of Animal Diseases for Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Transcaucasia (1997), OIE Regional Reference Laboratory for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (Poultry) and Newcastle Disease (2018).Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) gave a status of FAO Reference Centre for Foot-and-Mouth Disease for Central Asia and Western Eurasia to the ARRIAH (2013).
Currently, nearly 900 highly-qualified specialists including 11 Doctors of Science and 120 Candidates of Science work in the ARRIAH. Due to high qualification of the ARRIAH staff members the Center became one of the leading institutions for development and production of veterinary drugs intended for animal disease specific prophylaxis and diagnosis, as well as rendering scientific assistance to veterinarians. The ARRIAH is actively engaged in training programs. The Center has Dissertation Council for defense of candidate and doctor theses for the Higher Attestation Commission of the Russian Federation, as well as Department of Education and Department of Postgraduate Studies. Staff training courses and individual internship programs are regularly organized. Link
An apartment building has been constructed for accommodation of young researchers .
Currently ARRIAH manufactures diagnostic kits and vaccines against bovine, porcine, avian and wild carnivore diseases: total of over 100 types of products including nearly 78 vaccines, 21 test-kits and 7 chemotherapeutics covered by 69 patents of the Russian Federation. Link Six patent applications are under consideration so far. The production facilities of the Centre comply with GMP and GLP requirements (Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Laboratory Practice); the biological preparation production process complies with ISO 9001-2008. Link Results of research activities include their publication in research papers. FGBI “Federal Centre for Animal Health” annually publishes Proceedings of FGBI ARRIAH and since 2012 quarterly research journal “Veterinary Science Today” has been published. The journal is included in the register of VAC recommended publications. Link