Bluetongue
OIE Reference Laboratory Reports
Activities in 2011
Name of disease (or topic) for which you are a designated OIE Reference Laboratory: / BluetongueAddress of laboratory: / Australian Animal Health Laboratory
CSIRO Livestock Industries
Private Bag 24, Geelong,
Victoria, 3220,
AUSTRALIA
Tel.: / (61 3) 5227 5000
Fax: / (61 3) 5227 5555
e-mail address: /
website: / www.csiro.au
Name (including Title and Position) of Head of Laboratory (Responsible Official): / Dr Martyn Jeggo
Name(including Title and Position) of OIE Reference Expert: / Dr Peter Daniels
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 / TotalAGID / Antibody / Group / 5
ELISA / Antibody / Group / 219
VNT / Antibody / Serotype / 58
ELISA / Antigen / Group / 74
Taqman real-time PCR / Molecular detection / Group / 222
PCR and sequencing / Molecular pathotyping / Genotype / 77
VN / Antigen / Serotype / 48
Isolation / Virus isolation / Group / 48
2. Production and distribution of diagnostic reagents
Type of reagent / Amount supplied nationally(including for own use) / Amount supplied to other countries
Control positive serum / 450 ml / 120 ml
Immunofluorescent conjugate / 30 ml / 10 ml
Antigens / 10 ampoules of 2ml for each of virus types 1, 2, 3 / 2 ampoules of 2ml for type 2 virus
Antigens for BTV ELISA test / – / Sufficient for 1000 tests
PT Panels
/ 3 panels of 10 samples to 5 laboratories / –Network QC Reagents
/ 5ml ELISA NQC5 ml PCR NQC / –
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
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
No specific activities this reporting period.
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
AAHL participates in the Australian national proficiency testing program (ANQAP) which provides serology testing for a range of agents and assay types, includingthree BTV serology assays. In 2010 ANQAP provided proficiency testing for BTV VNT (serotype 1) (3 participating laboratories), and BTV C-ELISA (10participating laboratories). Both Australian and off-shore laboratories are represented amongst the testing laboratories.
Australia has coordinated its government laboratories into a functional network for responses to emergency animal diseases – Laboratories for Emergency Animal Disease Diagnosis and Response, LEADDR – with the mission to coordinate a national laboratory network operating on a partnership approach to detect and manage outbreaks of selected EADs. The network will coordinate an expanding diagnostic and surge capacity for EAD outbreaks nationwide, including those which have the potential to threaten human health. Through its role in LEADDR, and specifically the BTV working group in LEADDR, AAHL has helped coordinate adoption of an agreed national real time PCR test that detects all BTV genotypes and serotypes, including regionally-relevant strains such as occur in Asia. Proficiency testing in support of this test is being provided.
4. Preparation and supply of international reference standards for diagnostic tests or vaccines
No reference standards were provided internationally this period.
5. Research and development of new procedures for diagnosis and control
AAHL is continuing to enhance and develop R&D for vector borne diseases, with an emphasis on BTV. The following aspects and approaches have been initiated or are under development:
· Establishment of an entomology research capability, with appointment of suitably qualified scientists and commissioning of insectory facilities for studies of potential vectors, including transmission studies
· Molecular and genetic studies of vector competence, virulence and pathogenesis
· Studies on innate immunity in insects
· Studies on bluetongue virus isolates from insects in Australia and their full characterisation
· Drivers for potential shifts in ecology
· Modelling for predictions, including a study of climatic factors that are associated with incursions of vectors from countries to Australia’s north
· Evaluation of rapid molecular detection and characterisation systems for risk evaluation of unknown viruses isolated in Australia, such as by 454 sequencing
· Validation of a serotyping PCR for bluetongue viruses originating in the Asia-Pacific global region
6. Collection, analysis and dissemination of epizootiological data relevant to international disease control
The National Arbovirus Monitoring Program (NAMP) is a national program with international implications. Nationally its primary three objectives are 1) trade support, providing technical information to meet Australia's requirements for export protocol negotiations, particularly of live cattle and sheep, and to assist exporters in meeting export certification requirements 2) surveillance for emergency animal diseases, providing an exotic bluetongue virus early warning system through detection of new incursions and early warning of any southern spread of such strains and 3) facilitation of risk management of arboviral disease by providing epidemiological advice to producers and exporters with regard to arboviruses. AAHL, as the national BTV Reference Laboratory, supports the program by conducting molecular analyses of isolates of BTV made by participating laboratories. The collection of BTV strains developed over time, and the sequence analyses of these strains, is a valuable international resource. The description of the episystem across northern Australia and Southeast Asia has been a factor leading to the development of the concept of BTV episystems globally. The collection has also proved invaluable in the international validation of diagnostic tests, such as a real time PCR that detects BTV strains from the Asia Pacific area as well as from Europe and Africa.
The Northern Australian Quarantine Strategy sponsors collaboration with adjacent countries for surveillance of transboundary animal diseases of regional concern. Submission of specimens from Timor Leste and papua New Guinea contributes to some understanding of BTV in those countries.
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
· Peter Daniels participated in the 3rd Meeting of OIE Bluetongue Network in Teramo, Italy on 21 January 2011
· Ross Lunt and Ian Pritchard facilitated The 1st OIE/FAO-APHCA Regional Workshop on Bluetongue Diagnosis and Control in Bogor, Indonesia, 5-11 Mar 2011
· Peter Daniels attended the OIE ad hoc Group Meeting on Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease, Paris, France, 13-17 Mar 2011.
· Peter Daniels attended the FAO/OIE Regional Laboratory Network Technical Advisory Group Meeting, Bangkok, Thailand 2-6 Aug 2011
· Chris Morrissy was invited to attend the FAO LabNet meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, 4-5 Aug 2011.
9. Provision of scientific and technical training to personnel from other OIE Member Countries
AAHL staff, Ross Lunt and Ian Pritchard, partnered with staff from the Research Institute for Veterinary Science in Bogor, Indonesia (Bbalitvet), Drh Indrawati Sendow, to deliver The 1st OIE/FAO-APHCA Regional Workshop on Bluetongue Diagnosis and Control, in collaboration with DGLAHS and Bbalitvet, Bogor, Indonesia, 7-10March 2011, Peter Daniels assisted Dr Kenji Sakurai from the OIE Regional Commission Office in Tokyo and Drh Sendow in planning the workshop and developing the program.
The Workshop was attended by 17 participants and 1 overseas observer from 17 member countries namely: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, P.R. China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, and 11 local observers from Indonesia.
10. Provision of diagnostic testing facilities to other OIE Member Countries
AGID and ELISA testing of bovine samples for New Zealand
11. Organisation of international scientific meetings on behalf of OIE or other international bodies
AAHL participated in the design and delivery of the 1st OIE/FAO-APHCA Regional Workshop on Bluetongue Diagnosis and Control, Bogor, Indonesia in March.
12. Participation in international scientific collaborative studies
AAHL routinely exchanges scientific information with the World Reference Laboratory and regional laboratories but does not have formal collaborations.
13. Publication and dissemination of information relevant to the work of OIE (including list of scientific publications, internet publishing activities, presentations at international conferences)
· Journal articles
· Eagles, Debbie, Durr, Peter, Walker, Pter, Zalucki, Myron, Hall, Roy, Deveson, Ted Modelling the airborne spread of vectors and insect pests into Northern Australia within a risk analysis framework. EcoHealth 2011;7:S142
· Monahan, Paul, Darpel, Karin, Shaw, Andrew, Green, Dianne, Adams, Mat, Walker, Peter. Cellular Pathogenesis of Bluetongue Virus: should we be looking at the host or the insect vector? EcoHealth 2011;7:S35.
· Palacios G, Cowled C, Bussetti AV, Savji N, Weir R, Wick I, et al. Rapid Molecular Strategy for Orbivirus Detection and Characterization. Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2011;49(6):2314-7.
· Rutowska, Daria, Meyer, Quintin, Maree, Francois, Vosloo, Wilna, Fick, Wilma, Huismans, Henk. The use of soluble African horse sickness viral protein 7 as an antigen delivery and presentation system. Vaccine. 2011; 156(1-2):35-48.
· Conference papers/Conference proceedings
· Lunt RA, Pritchard LI, Sendow I, Daniels PW. Etiology and epidemiology of bluetongue. Presentation at The 1st OIE/FAO-APHCA Regional Workshop on Bluetongue Diagnosis and Control in Bogor, Indonesia, 5-11 Mar 2011.
· Lunt RA, Sendow I, Pritchard LI, Daniels PW. Laboratory diagnosis of bluetongue. Presentation at The 1st OIE/FAO-APHCA Regional Workshop on Bluetongue Diagnosis and Control in Bogor, Indonesia, 5-11 Mar 2011.
· Pritchard, LI, Hunt N, Melville L, Daniels PW. The National Arbovirus Monitoring Program (NAMP) in Australia. Presentation at The 1st OIE/FAO-APHCA Regional Workshop on Bluetongue Diagnosis and Control in Bogor, Indonesia, 5-11 Mar 2011.
· Pritchard LI, Melville L, Sendow I, Daniels PW. BTV Molecular Detection and Genotyping. Presentation at The 1st OIE/FAO-APHCA Regional Workshop on Bluetongue Diagnosis and Control in Bogor, Indonesia, 5-11 Mar 2011.
______
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011 5