ARRIAH gains FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses status

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has granted the status of a Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses to the Federal Centre for Animal Health (ARRIAH, the city of Vladimir, Russia), subordinated to Rosselkhoznadzor. This fact points to the recognition of the high level of Russian veterinary science and practice, its great contribution to international cooperation in this sector and readiness to solve issues within the One Health approach for humans and animals for the benefit of all humanity. 

The decision of the international organization has been made on the basis of large-scale experience of ARRIAH research work with zoonotic coronaviruses, as well as taking into account the creation of a test-system for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in carnivorous animals and of the world’s first vaccine for its prevention. 

“Following our careful assessment of FGBI ARRIAH’s core activities and competencies, scientific and technological achievements, commitment to strengthening capacity development in areas that are relevant to FAO’s mandate, and the level and experience of established cooperation, I am pleased to announce that ARRIAH has been awarded the status of an FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses,” FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo commented in an official statement. 

The status implies that ARRIAH, acting in the interests of FAO and all its member countries, will carry out international scientific and technical cooperation, exchange of experience and knowledge, organize training events and conferences, as well as work on risk assessment, diagnosis of diseases of coronavirus etiology and forecasting their development. 

The new Reference Centre is going to provide technical support in risk assessment and management related to zoonotic coronaviruses. 

This activity includes, in particular, the collection and analysis of data on the epizootic situation in the region, the development of forecasts and risk analysis of zoonotic coronaviruses, the formation of the principles of a risk-based approach in the organization of supervisory activities and the publication of the results on the websites of the Federal State-Financed Institution ARRIAH, Rosselkhoznadzor and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation. 

Russian veterinary scientists from the Vladimir Reference Centre are going to provide their Russian and foreign colleagues with service maintenance and technical support for diagnostics, which includes: 

• Exchange of strains and isolates of SARS-CoV2 with other FAO Reference Centres, national institutions and joint study of their properties;

• Conduct of annual advanced training courses on the diagnosis of COVID-19 in animals for specialists from Russia, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia;

• Development of international proficiency testing programmes and corresponding antigens and antibodies panels for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV2 using serological (ELISA) and molecular (RT-PCR) methods;

• Provision of urgent diagnosis of the disease in case of emergencies in the area of responsibility;

• Provision of diagnostic kits for molecular and serological diagnostics and of vaccine in the area of responsibility;

• Conduct of genetic analysis of virus isolates obtained from surveillance systems, including fragmentary and whole genome sequencing of isolates and phylogenetic/bioinformatic analysis;

• Assistance in the preparation of scientific articles and reviews on the above-mentioned topics. 

The Russian Reference Centre is going to provide technical support in the field of disease surveillance and epidemiology. This activity includes, in particular, the development of a monitoring plan in the FGBI ARRIAH area of responsibility with the definition of the sphere of monitoring, the frequency and scope of sampling, as well as experts’ visits to the sites of outbreaks caused by zoonotic coronaviruses to collect samples, information and analyze the situation. 

In addition to the aforementioned, ARRIAH is going to provide technical support related to the diseases spread surveillance at the intersection of wildlife and domestic animals. This involves conducting serological and molecular diagnostic studies of samples from wild and synanthropic species of animals and companion animals as part of a regional research monitoring programme, including possible next-generation genome-wide sequencing of SARS-CoV2 isolates. 

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Background 

ARRIAH has many years of experience in cooperating with FAO. In 2013, the Institute was awarded the status of an FAO Reference Centre for Foot-and-Mouth Disease for Central Asia and Western Eurasia, in 2020 – the status of an FAO Reference Centre for Foot-and-Mouth Disease. Besides FAO, Rosselkhoznadzor and its subordinate institutions fruitfully cooperate with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). ARRIAH in Vladimir also has an active OIE Reference Laboratories status for a range of animal diseases, including Newcastle disease, foot-and-mouth disease, bluetongue, and highly pathogenic avian influenza.