Workshops/Meetings : GF-TADs

Second OIE/FAO-APHCA Regional Workshop on Brucellosis Diagnosis and Control with the Emphasis on Brucella melitensis
(Tha-Phra, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, 8-11 June 2009)

The Workshop was organised at the Veterinary Research and Development Center (Upper Northeastern Region), DLD in Tha-Phra, Khon Kaen, Thailand, during 8-11 June 2009 as a follow-up of the First Workshop held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, during 20-23 October 2008.
The Workshop was attended by 28 participants from 16 countries of Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam, and France (speakers from OIE Reference Laboratory), OIE Asia-Pacific and FAO-APHCA.
Welcome addresses were delivered by Mr. Nataphon Wichienprerd, Vice Governor of Khon Kaen province; Dr Vimol Jirathanawat, Director of National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), DLD; Dr Teruhide Fujita, OIE Asia-Pacific; Dr Hans-Gerhard Wagner, FAO Senior Animal Production and Health officer, Secretary of APHCA; and Dr Yukol Limlamthong, Director General of DLD
Dr Bruno Garin-Bastuzi and his technical assistance from OIE/FAO Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis in France and Dr Monaya Ekgatat from NIAH played the important roles as resource persons.
The Workshop was held with the main objectives to:

update information on Brucellosis and for hands-on training on standard diagnostic tests of Brucellosis (with an emphasis on B. melitensis); and
for standard protocol development for control of Brucellosis in the Region.

The Workshop recognized progress made on the testing of Brucellosis in the Region since the last Workshop. However, it was considered that the focused strategies for diagnosis and control of the disease are still to be developed, taking into consideration the lack of accumulated data on the disease.
Brucellosis, including that caused by B. melitensis, is recognized in most of member countries in the Region and, in some cases, with the high rate of human infection.
Laboratory testing of Brucellosis as well as good epidemiological knowledge on the disease are the essential elements and bases for application of appropriate disease control measures in the field.
Standard operating procedures for diagnostic tests (RBT, CFT and iELISA) – based on the OIE Manual – were prepared by the resource person from OIE/FAO Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis in France (with the help of NIAH of Thailand) and distributed to the participants during the Workshop, under the financial support of FAO-APHCA.
Rose Bengal Test (RBT) antigens produced by DLD of Thailand were provided to all the participants under the financial support and collaboration of FAO-APHCA.
The Workshop recommended the following (summary and abstract):

The participating countries are encouraged to test their animals for Brucellosis, using the RBT antigens provided during the Workshop. It is recommended that the recipient countries should take the opportunity to:

set up appropriate testing facilities,
organize technology transfer to other national staff, and
implement preliminary survey in comparison with the existing testing regime, where possible.

Any progress made on the activities<1) above> should be reported to the forthcoming meeting(s) such as the FAO-APHCA annual session in October 2009 as well as the Third Regional Workshop.

The Third Regional Workshop should focus on:

quality assurance including standardization of testing procedures and diagnostic reagents (as a step towards to the ring tests), and
strengthening of Regional collaboration on diagnosis and control of Brucellosis.

Combined testing of RBT and CFT, and iELISA (if appropriate and applicable) should be applied, as practical diagnostic measures for an effective and complementary purpose.
Follow up on capacity building of laboratory technical staff as well as of strengthening of national laboratories should be favorably considered by collaborating international organizations including FAO-APHCA and OIE, where appropriate.
Close collaboration between OIE/FAO Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis in France and NIAH of Thailand, should be further facilitated through mechanisms such as the OIE Twinning Programme, etc., which may be followed by the possible nomination of the latter as an OIE Reference Laboratory on Brucellosis.