Two researchers from Kazakhstan are in Teramo for an OIE Twinning project

Within the framework of the “OIE Twinning for Animal Brucellosis including diagnostic epidemiology between the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G.Caporale” (IZSAM) and the National Veterinary Reference Center (Republic of Kazakhstan)” the IZSAM hosted, from the 5th to the 16th of May 2014, the Doctors Aigul Jailbekova and Inna Fedotova of the National Veterinary Reference Center (NVRC) of the Republic of Kazakhstan for a period of training on cultural methods used for the direct diagnosis of brucellosis.

The main objective of the twinning project of the World Organization for Animal Health(OIE) is to improve the knowledge and skills of the Kazak staff in order to facilitate the NVRC to become an OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis and provide the countries of Middle Asia with scientific and technical assistance.

At the IZSAM laboratories, the researchers are carrying out activities designed to enhance their skills in the use and provision of adequate tools for the culture and identification of Brucella spp. from different matrices including milk, fetal organs (birthing products), vaginal swabs, ecc.; as well as to acquire knowledge on the different measures of biosecurity and on the organization of interlaboratory tests. The course also covered training on the production of culture media used in various diagnostic tests, to the production of the Rose Bengala antigen and to the implementation of a Quality Management System (QMS), including the validation of diagnostic methods.

At the end of the training period, the NVRS researchers will know about the OIE standards concerning the direct diagnosis of brucellosis to be used in a Reference Laboratory. They will gain the necessary knowledge to improve diagnostic tests on bovine and small ruminants; learn how to interpret results and validate the tests. The training course will also be dedicated to the organization of interlaboratory tests for the peripheral Laboratories and to the application of the packaging and consignment procedures of the reagents and the biological products.