From Zimbabwe to the Institute for a period of training on Brucellosis

Within the framework of the OIE twinning project for Animal Brucellosis between the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale” (IZSAM) and the Zimbabwean Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), Shuvai Musari and Joan Varaidzo Burumu are attending the IZSAM from the 25th of March to the 11th of April 2014, for a period of training.

The main objective of the twinning project of the World Organization for Animal Health(OIE) is to improve the technical knowledge and skills of the Zimbabwean Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) staff, in order to facilitate the CVL to become an OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis and provide the countries of Southern and Central Africa with scientific and technical assistance.

At the IZSAM laboratories, the African researchers are carrying out activities designed to enhance the necessary skills in the use and provision of adequate tools for the culture and identification of Brucella spp. in various samples, including milk, fetal organs, vaginal swabs, semen etc.; to acquire the knowledge on the different measures of biosecurity and on the organization of interlaboratory tests. The course also consists in the production of the Rose Bengala antigen and the implementation of a Quality Management System (QMS), including the validation of diagnostic methods.