Epizootic haematopoietic necrosis

OIE Reference Laboratory Reports

Activities in 2011

Name of disease (or topic) for which you are a designated OIE Reference Laboratory: / Epizootic haematopoietic necrosis
Address of laboratory: / Faculty of Veterinary Science
University of Sydney
NSW 2006 AUSTRALIA
Australian Animal Health Laboratory
CSIRO Livestock Industries
Private Bag 24, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, AUSTRALIA
Tel.: / (+61-2) 93.51.16.19
(+61-3) 52.27.50.00
Fax: / (+61-2) 93.51.16.18
(+61-3) 52.27.55.55
e-mail address: /

website: / www.csiro.au
Name (including Title and Position) of Head of Laboratory (Responsible Official): / Professor Rosanne Taylor
Dr Martyn Jeggo
Name (including Title and Position) of OIE Reference Expert: / Dr Richard Whittington
Dr Alex Hyatt
Name (including Title and Position) of writer of this report
(if different from above):


Part I: Summary of general activities related to the disease

1. Test(s) in use/or available for the specified disease/topic at your laboratory

Test / For / Specificity / Total
ELISA / Antibody / Group / Nil
ELISA / Antigen / Group / 216
VN / Antibody / Type / Nil

BHK-21 cell culture

/ Virus isolation / >200

PCR

/ DNA / Type / >1000

2. Production and distribution of diagnostic reagents

Reagents are produced and supplied nationally and to other OIE Member Countries:

Type of reagent / Amount supplied nationally
(including for own use) / Amount supplied to other countries
Control positive serum / 2 / 6
Immunofluorescent conjugate / Nil / Nil
Antigens for ELISA / 2 / Nil

Controls for PCR

/ 3 / 5

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

The EHNV reference laboratory is also involved in differentiation of iridoviral infections from a range of organisms (vertebrate and invertebrate) caused by viruses in other genera within the Family Iridovirdae. Examples include identification of new virus from frogs (ranaviruses) and from copepods (iridoviruses).

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

There are two OIE Reference Laboratories for EHNV, (1) the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia, and (2) the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL), CSIRO, Victoria, Australia. The two experts Prof Richard Whittington and Dr Alex Hyatt maintain a network by undertaking joint research activities and consulting upon national and international requests for information and reagents. To date no regular inter-laboratory proficiency testing between the two laboratories has been established.

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

See table above.

Purified EHNV DNA

Affinity purified antibodies against EHNV raised in rabbits and sheep.

Heat-inactivated EHNV for use as antigen.

5. Research and development of new procedures for diagnosis and control

Development and validation of high throughput methods for disruption of fish tissues and for extraction of EHNV DNA from tissue homogenates.

Development and validation of a qPCR method for detection of ranaviruses including EHNV.

6. Collection, analysis and dissemination of epizootiological data relevant to international disease control

Completion of survey of Murray Darling basin in Australia for EHNV.

7. Maintenance of a system of quality assurance, biosafety and biosecurity relevant to the pathogen and the disease concerned

AAHL’s diagnostic operations are conducted under NATA accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2005. In addition to its NATA accreditation AAHL maintains certification to AS/NZS ISO 9001:2008 for the management of its Quality Assurance System as well as AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 for environmental management. AAHL is accredited to ISO/IEC 17043 as an international proficiency testing provider for exotic disease agents.

8. Provision of consultant expertise to OIE or to OIE Member Countries

Technical advice provided to various institutions on an on-going basis.

9. Provision of scientific and technical training to personnel from other OIE Member Countries

Dr Murwantoko, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia.

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

Nil.

13. Publication and dissemination of information relevant to the work of OIE (including list of scientific publications, internet publishing activities, presentations at international conferences)

¡  Scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals

Rimmer AE, Becker JA, Tweedie A and Whittington RJ (2012). Validation of high throughput methods for tissue disruption and nucleic acid extraction for ranaviruses (Family Iridoviridae). Aquaculture (in press)

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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011 3