OIE RL for «Bluetongue» – «Dr. Baratang Alison Lubisi» – «South Africa»

OIE Reference Laboratory Reports
Activities in 2012

Name of disease (or topic) for which you are a designated OIE Reference Laboratory: / Bluetongue
Address of laboratory / ARC- Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute
No. 100 Old Soutpan Road
Onderstepoort
0110
Tel.: / +2712 529 9233
Fax: / +2712 529 9418
e-mail address: /
website: / Http://www.arc.agric.za
Name (including Title) of Head of Laboratory (Responsible Official): / Dr. Phelix Majiwa
Programme Manager
Name (including Title and Position) of OIE Reference Expert: / Dr. Baratang Alison Lubisi
Head of Virology Laboratory
Date of submission to the OIE / 25 January 2013

ToR: To use, promote and disseminate diagnostic methods validated according to OIE Standards

Test recommended by the OIE / Total number of test performed last year
Indirect diagnostic tests / Nationally / Internationally
c-ELISA / 336 / 76
SNT / 39 / 0
Direct diagnostic tests / Nationally / Internationally

Cell Culture (Vero) and ECE

/ 59 / 7

Nested RT-PCR

/ 1341 / 18

ToR: To develop reference material in accordance with OIE requirements, and implement and promote the application of OIE Standards.

To store and distribute to national laboratories biological reference products and any other reagents used in the diagnosis and control of the designated pathogens or disease.

2. Did your laboratory produce or store imported standard reference reagents officially recognised by the OIE or other international bodies?

X Yes No

3. Did your laboratory supply standard reference reagents to OIE Member Countries?

Yes X No

Type of reagent available / Related diagnostic test / Produced/
stored / Amount supplied nationally
(ml, mg) / Amount supplied internationally
(ml, mg) / Name of recipient OIE Member Countries and of institutions /
Virus / RT-PCR / Stock vials of full genome sequenced reference viruses from which working material will be produced once approval is granted by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries / 0 / 0 / 0

4. Did your laboratory produce diagnostic reagents other than the OIE-approved standard reference reagents?

Yes X No

5. Did your laboratory produce vaccines?

Yes X No

6. Did your laboratory supply vaccines to OIE Member Countries?

Yes X No

ToR: To develop, standardise and validate, according to OIE Standards, new procedures for diagnosis and control of the designated pathogens or diseases

7. Did your laboratory develop new diagnostic methods validated according to OIE Standards for the designated pathogen or disease?

Yes X No

8. Did your laboratory develop new vaccines according to OIE Standards for the designated pathogen or disease?

Yes X No

ToR: To provide diagnostic testing facilities, and, where appropriate, scientific and technical advice on disease control measures to OIE Member Countries

9. Did your laboratory carry out diagnostic testing for other OIE Member Countries?

X Yes No

Name of OIE Member Country seeking assistance / Date
(dd/mm) / No. samples received for provision of diagnostic support (i.e. from surveillance campaign) / No. samples received for provision of confirmatory diagnoses
United Arab Emirates / 13/12 / 40 (c-ELISA) / 5 (RT-PCR)
Namibia / 16/03; 29/03; 14/06; 16/10; 19/12 / 36 (c-ELISA) / 0
Oman / 15/10; 18/10 / 0 / 10 (RT-PCR); 7(VI)
People’s Republic of Antarctica / 2/4 / 0 / 3 (RT-PCR)

10. Did your laboratory provide expert advice in technical consultancies on the request of an OIE Member Country?

Yes X No

ToR: To carry out and/or coordinate scientific and technical studies in collaboration with other laboratories, centres or organisations

11. Did your laboratory participate in international scientific studies in collaboration with OIE Member Countries other than your own?

X Yes No

Title of the study / Duration / Purpose of the study / Partners (Institutions) / OIE Member Countries involved other than your country
Culicoides surveys / 1 year / Seasonal abundance of Culicoides species at two sites in Botswana / University of Pretoria, South Africa / Botswana
Culicoides surveys / 2 years / Seasonal abundance of Culicoides species in Namibia / North West University, South Africa / Namibia
Culicoides identification / 2 years / Identification of problematic African Culicoides species collected in Senegal / CIRAD / France
Evaluation of the efficacy of insecticides / 1 year / Evaluation of the efficacy of insecticides against South African populations of C. imicola (pending) / CIRAD / France
Culicoides collection and artificial feeding / 2 years / Applicability and evaluation of South African methods for European Culicoides populations. / IZS / Italy
Culicoides identification / 1 year / Analyses of Culicoides collections made from Whales / University of Liverpool / United Kingdom / Whales
Light traps / On going / Supply and selling of the Onderstepoort light trap and netting as needed. / Various / At present: Germany, France, Lebanon

ToR: To collect, process, analyse, publish and disseminate epizootiological data relevant to the designated pathogens or disease

12. Did your Laboratory collect epizootiological data relevant to international disease control?

X Yes No

I.  Involved in the on-going Culicoides surveys in South Africa.

II.  Assist with Culicoides identification nationally and internationally, including:

i)  Evaluation of the efficacy of insecticides

ii). Comparison of Culicoides collection methods

13. Did your laboratory disseminate epizootiological data that had been processed and analysed?

X Yes No

14. What method of dissemination of information is most often used by your laboratory?

(Indicate in the appropriate box the number by category)

a)  Articles published in peer-reviewed journals: 3

b)  International conferences: 1

c)  National conferences: 3

d)  Articles reviewed, presentations and dissertation: 6

See attached publication list in Appendix 1

ToR: To provide scientific and technical training for personnel from OIE Member Countries

To recommend the prescribed and alternative tests or vaccines as OIE Standards

15. Did your laboratory provide scientific and technical training to laboratory personnel from other OIE Member Countries?

X Yes No

a)  Technical visits: 0

b)  Seminars: 0

c)  Hands-on training courses: 1

d)  Internships (>1 month): 0

Type of technical training provided (a, b, c or d) / Country of origin of the expert(s) provided with training / No. participants from the corresponding country
c / Italy / 1

The Culicoides expert, Dr. Gert Venter, trained Dr. Valentina Federici of IZS (Italy), on the collection, handling and feeding methods of field collected midges. Special focus was placed on C. imicola, the vector of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and Bluetongue virus (BTV). Competent midges which can transmit both AHSV and BTV are present in Italy. The training conducted during the 10 day visit contributed to the standardisation of techniques and comparison of data.

ToR: To maintain a system of quality assurance, biosafety and biosecurity relevant for the pathogen and the disease concerned

16. Does your laboratory have a Quality Management System certified according to an International Standard?

X Yes No

Quality management system adopted
ISO 17025

17. Is your laboratory accredited by an international accreditation body?

X Yes No

Test for which your laboratory is accredited / Accreditation body
Other tests, not BT / SANAS

18. Does your laboratory maintain a “biorisk management system” for the pathogen and the disease concerned?

X Yes No

ToR: To organise and participate in scientific meetings on behalf of the OIE

19. Did your laboratory organise scientific meetings on behalf of the OIE?

Yes X No

20. Did your laboratory participate in scientific meetings on behalf of the OIE?

Yes X No

ToR: To establish and maintain a network with other OIE Reference Laboratories designated for the same pathogen or disease and organise regular inter-laboratory proficiency testing to ensure comparability of results

21. Did your laboratory exchange information with other OIE Reference Laboratories designated for the same pathogen or disease?

Yes X No

22. Was your laboratory involved in maintaining a network with OIE Reference Laboratories designated for the same pathogen or disease by organising or participating in proficiency tests?

Yes X No

23. Did your laboratory collaborate with other OIE Reference Laboratories for the same disease on scientific research projects for the diagnosis or control of the pathogen of interest?

Yes X No

ToR: To organise inter-laboratory proficiency testing with laboratories other than OIE Reference Laboratories for the same pathogens and diseases to ensure equivalence of results.

24. Did your laboratory organise or participate in inter-laboratory proficiency tests with laboratories other than OIE Reference Laboratories for the same disease?

X Yes No

If the answer is yes, please provide details using the table provided

Purpose for inter-laboratory test comparisons[1] / No. participating laboratories / Participating OIE Member Countries /
Test harmonisation (RT-PCR):
Western Cape Provincial Laboratory (WCPVL) organised / 3: WCPVL; MDS and OVI / 1
Test harmonisation (Antibody detection):
VETQAS managed / 6 / Yes. Countries not disclosed

ToR: To place expert consultants at the disposal of the OIE

25. Did your laboratory place expert consultants at the disposal of the OIE?

Yes X No

APPENDIX 1

A.  Publications in peer reviewed journals:

1.  Becker, E., Venter, G.J., Labuschagne, K., Greyling, T. & Van Hamburg, H. 2012. Occurence of Culicoides species in the Khomas region of Namibia during the winter months. Veterinaria Italiana, 48, 45-54.

2.  Venter, G.J., Labuschagne, K., Boikanyo, S.N.B. & Morey, L., 2012. The effect of high frequency sound on Culicoides numbers collected with suction light traps, Journal of the South African Veterinary Association 83(1), Art. #10, 5 pages. http:// dx.doi.org/10.4102/jsava. V83i1.10

3.  Venter, G.J., Majatladi, D.M., Labuschagne, K., Boikanyo, S.N.B. & Morey, L. 2012. The attraction range of the Onderstepoort 220 V light trap for Culicoides biting midges as determined under South African field conditions. Veterinary Parasitology, 190, 222-229.

B.  International conferences

a)  Dr G.J. Venter from the ARC-OVI was invited to organise and co-moderate, together with Me E. Veronesi from IAH Pirbright, United Kingdom, a symposium on Culicoides vectors and arbovirus transmission at the Society of Vector Ecology (SOVE) meeting in St Augustine, Florida, USA. The proceedings of the meeting were not published.

C.  National conferences

a)  Labuschagne, K. & Scholtz, C.H. 2012. The use of morphometrics as a tool to confirm species status within Culicoides species groups. Proceeding of the Big Five Congress, the South African Association of Veterinary Technologists, 30 – 31 October 2012. Berg en Dal, KNP, South Africa.

b)  Page, P.C., Labuschagne, K., Venter, G.J., Schoeman, J.P. & Guthrie, A.J., 2012. Efficacy of alpha-cypermethrin treated mesh against Culicoides biting midges. In: Faculty of Veterinary Science, Faculty Day, 6 September 2012.

c)  Fick W.C., Maritz-Olivier C., Venter G.J. & Kekoa E., 2012. Adapting a novel vector-control mechanism for the haematophagus midge Culicoides imicola in South Africa. In: Abstract book of the 5th Gauteng Agriculture and Rural Development Annual Research Symposium. : 15. (Fick W.C., Maritz-Olivier C., Kekoa E., University of Pretoria).

D.  Other

I.  Original research articles reviewed

1.  Multiple linear regression model for forecasting bluetongue disease outbreak in sheep of North-West agroclimatic zone of Tamil Nadu, India; Sep 17, 2012. Veterinary World

2.  Epidemiological investigation of bluetongue virus antibodies in sheep in Iran; Jul 17, 2012. Veterinary World

3.  Seroprevalence and S7 gene characterization of bluetongue virus in the West of Iran
Mar 28, 2012. Veterinary World.

II.  Dissertation submitted:

Mr. Julian Liebenberg from the University of Free State, South Africa submitted her MSc dissertation titled: The species composition and bio-ecology of Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) frequenting livestock in the central Free State, South Africa.

Dr. G.J. Venter was her co-promoter.

III. Presentations at International meetings

a)  B.A Lubisi, 2012. The status of OIE listed diseases in South Africa with special reference to the diseases present in the country, clinical presentation in susceptible animals, and the control measures taken. Seminar delivered on 23 May, at Konkuk University, 1 Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, South Korea

b)  B.A Lubisi, 2012. OIE listed diseases in South Africa with special reference to the status of diseases in SA, the OVI’s mission and organizational structure, and research work performed on the diseases for which OVI carries the OIE Reference Laboratory status. Seminar delivered on 24 May at the Animal, Plant and Fisheries Quarantine and Inspection Agency, 175 Anyang-ro, Manan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Annual reports of OIE Reference Laboratories, 2012 7

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