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On September 10-11, 2019 specialists of the Rosselkhoznadzor subordinate FGBI “Federal Center for Animal Health” Ilya Chvala, Tatyana Nikeshina and Alexander Kononov visited the Institute of Experimental Zooprophylaxis (IZS) in Italy within the visit of the delegation of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance to the Republic of Italy.

On September 10 the Russian delegation paid a visit to the Institute of Experimental Zooprophylaxis for Abruzzo and Molise (Teramo) - the OIE designated Reference laboratory for bluetongue, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), West Nile fever and brucellosis. During the visit, the employees of FGBI “ARRIAH” discussed the possibility of organizing international rounds of CBPP interlaboratory comparison tests to verify the competence and reproducibility of diagnostic methods.

Due to the fact that IZS for Abruzzo and Molise is a national reference laboratory for lumpy skin disease (LSD), an agreement was reached on verification of diagnostic test kits for differentiation of vaccine-like and field LSD virus isolates developed at the laboratory in Teramo.

During the visit to the national ASF and CSF Reference Laboratory in Perugia (IZS in the regions of Umbria and Marche) on September 11, the Russian side got familiarized with the experience of the Italian party on ASF control, as well as got informed about the current disease prevention strategies and readiness of veterinary services. The delegation visited an BSL 3 animal facility, where experiments are being conducted to study vaccines for ASF prevention. An agreement was reached on the development of cooperation regarding the ASF diagnosis and the development of ASF specific prophylaxis tools.

IZS employees confirmed their readiness to organize a return visit to the FGBI ARRIAH in order to study the experience of Russian colleagues on ASF control.

In addition, the Russian delegation visited the national reference laboratories for GMOs and for the control of chemical and microbiological contaminants in marine products, established at the Institute of Experimental Zooprophylaxis in Teramo and Perugia. A high level of equipment of laboratories for food and feed testing, as well as a wide range of ongoing studies, was noted.