CONTROL OF CLASSICAL SWINE FEVER BY MOLECULAR DIAGNOSIS AND EPIDEMIOLOGY

Objective

Background :

Despite intensive efforts, it has not proved possible to eradicate classical swine fever
(CSF) in Europe and new outbreaks of the disease continue to occur within EU member states and Eastern Europe. Not only the direct costs but also the indirect costs, relating to international trade of both live pigs and pig products, of these outbreaks are enormous. In order to deal with outbreaks, there is a short term need for improved diagnosis and a longer term need for a better understanding of why the disease is reappearing.

The objective is :

This research proposal seeks to address both the need for improved CSF diagnosis and the need for identifying the routes of continuing disease spread. The former will be dealt with through the development, optimisation and harmonised validation of new diagnostic methods based on detection of CSF virus antigens and RNA; the latter through the development of molecular epizootiological methods to permit the origin and spread of outbreaks to be more precisely determined.

Short description of the project :

As regards diagnostic tests, particular emphasis will be placed on establishing tests based on reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for screening blood samples of live pigs and tissue from abattoir carcasses. Molecular epidemiology will be based on the establishment of a specific fingerprint for each outbreak that will be compared to others in order to determine the likely patterns of the spread.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › biological sciences › microbiology › virology
• medical and health sciences › health sciences › public health › epidemiology
• natural sciences › biological sciences › genetics › RNA
• social sciences › economics and business › business and management › commerce

Programme(s)

• FP4-FAIR - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development), 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 4.4.2 - Animal health

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

MAFF Central Veterinary Laboratory

Address

Woodham Lane New Haw Addlestone
KT15 3NB Weybridge
United Kingdom

Participants (6)

HANNOVER VETERINARY SCHOOL - TIERARZTLICHE HOCHSCHULE HANNOVER

Germany

Address

Buentenweg, 17
30559 Hannover

INSTITUTE OF VIROLOGY AND IMMUNOPROPHYLAXIS

Switzerland

Address

3147 Mittelhausern

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche

Italy

Address

Via G. Salvemini 1
06126 Perugia

NATIONAAL INSTITUUT VOOR DIERGENEESKUNDIG ONDERZOEK

Belgium

Address

Groeselenberg, 99
1180 Bruxelles

NATIONAL VETERINARY INSTITUTE

Sweden

Address

Husargatan, 3
751 23 Uppsala

THE NATIONAL VETERINARY INSTITUTE

Poland

Address

Al.partyzantow, 57
24-100 Pulawy