Examples of One Health co-operation in COVID-19 diagnostics: IZSAM and IZSLER
Our world faces the COVID-19 global pandemic, and many One Health EJP consortium partners have key roles in managing the situation at national level across Europe.
For example, FAO has recognised that enormous processivity is needed for the diagnostic capacity required. Veterinary laboratories have an extraordinary experience in the diagnosis of infectious diseases also in emergency situations and can therefore be tremendously supportive in this. In this series of ‘Examples of One Health co-operation in COVID-19 diagnostics’, we highlight how One Health co-operation has been established across Europe.
IZSAM and IZSLER are the among the first three Experimental Zooprophylactic Institutes in Italy that will give their diagnostic support to regions of Italy for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. To date, an entire network of ten Italian IZS Institutes are engaged in providing diagnostic support.
Experimental Zooprophylactic Institutes that can provide this assistance must be equipped with “adequate structures for biological containment (BSL-3) and with proven analytical capacity in the continuous and significant use of diagnostic techniques applicable, even in emergency situations, for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV- 2”.
Dr. Giovanni Savini, the Head of the Complex Structure of Animal Health and the Virology Department of IZSAM, and the One Health EJP’s Scientific Steering Board representative for IZSAM, will be coordinating the diagnostic activity, and said:
“We are analysing about 150 samples per day. In the future, with the activation of another line of work, we will be able to process over 400 samples per day. In any case, the Institute is ready to change its work rhythms according to the indications of CREA, the Abruzzo Regional Emergency-Urgency Committee. We are currently analysing samples from the ASL of Teramo, working with the ASL of L’Aquila and have just been contacted by the ASL of Chieti…I would like to thank all the technicians and operators of our team and would also like to spend a few words on the Italian network of Experimental Zooprophylactic Institutes because, through diagnostic activities, they are supporting the National Health Service in this moment of emergency ”
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