Sending of material & specific training

As a follow-up of the Arbovirus diagnostic workshop and in response to the Zika outbreak in 2015, the human virology working group has distributed real-time RT-PCR reagents to all laboratories of the Human Virology network in order to enhance the diagnostic capacity for arboviral infections, in particular, West Nile, Chikungunya, Rift Valley fever and Zika.

• July 2015: Shipment of reference material and reagents for RVFV molecular detection to Dr. Ozkul (Veterinary Faculty Ankara, Turkey)

• April 2017: Shipment of reference material and SOP for molecular detection of Bagaza virus (a mosquito borne flavivirus that causes diseases in birds) to Dr. Selma Mejri (Institut de la Recherche Vétérinaire de Tunisie) Specific Training

• January 2016: Mrs. Zuleyha Ergun from the Veterinary Faculty of Ankara (PhD student of Dr. Ozkul) was trained during one month at CISA-INIA about molecular diagnosis of WNV and related flaviviruses and biosafety practices. The collaboration was stablished under the MediLabSecure project and the internship at CISA-INIA was financed by the Turkish Government.

• February 2016:  Dr. Nabil Abouchaib (ONSSA, Morocco), visited CISA-INIA for 3 days  and performed the required  analysis to fully characterize an avian influenza isolate from an outbreak in Morocco.

• December 2016: Dr. Bojan Adzic (contact person in the animal virology lab in Montenegro) was trained during five days about molecular diagnosis and characterization of flaviviruses and avian influenza viruses (AIV). The training included RT-PCR methods, sequencing and sequence analysis of West Nile and pathotyping of AIV. The internship was financed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but the collaboration was established and implemented under the MediLabSecure project in the framework of cooperation for capacity building and preparedness against emerging viruses

• December 2017: Tatiana Sulesco (Moldova) visited IRD Montpellier to study the mosquito species diversity represented in a high number at MIGEVEC collection of medically important arthropods and to strengthen the collaboration between the institutes

• May 2018: One Health internship: Dr. Aissam Hachid (Institut Pasteur in Algeria) visited INIA-CISA, Madrid, Spain to receive scientific technical assistance in the area of diagnosis and molecular characterization of West Nile and related flaviviruses