Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development
Completion Report
1
Development of an Improved Capability in
support of National Bio-security for the
Surveillance and Control of Foot & Mouth
Disease in Cattle and Pigs.
Chris Morrissy
1
Submitted July 2010
Table of Contents
1. Institute Information ____________________________________________ 1
2. Project Abstract _______________________________________________ 2
3. Executive Summary ____________________________________________ 2
4. Introduction & Background ______________________________________ 4
4.1 Objectives of the project ___________________________________________ 4
4.2 Implementation Approach and Strategy ______________________________ 4
5. Progress to Date _______________________________________________ 5
5.1
Implementation Highlights
_______________________________________ 5
5.2 Smallholder Benefits ________________________________________ 7
5.3 Capacity Building ___________________________________________ 7
5.4 Publicity __________________________________________________ 8
5.5 Project Management ________________________________________ 8
6. Report on Cross-Cutting Issues __________________________________ 9
6.1 Environment _______________________________________________ 9
6.2 Gender and Social Issues ____________________________________ 9
7. Implementation & Sustainability Issues ____________________________ 9
7.1 Issues and Constraints ______________________________________ 9
7.2 Options ___________________________________________________ 9
7.3 Sustainability _____________________________________________ 10
8. Next Critical Steps ____________________________________________ 10
9. Conclusions__________________________________________________ 11
9.1 Acknowledgements ______________________________________________ 12
10. Statuatory Declaration _________________________________________ 14
11. Project progress against proposed objectives, outputs, activities and
inputs ____ ___________________________________________________16
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1. Institute Information
Project Name CARD FMD [072/04VIE]
Vietnamese Institution Regional Animal Health Office (RAHO-6)
Ho Chi Minh City
South Vietnam
Vietnamese Project Team Leader Dr Dong Manh Hoa
Australian Organisation Australian Animal Health Laboratory
[AAHL] Private Bag 24
Geelong, VIC 3220
Australia
Australian Personnel Mr Chris Morrissy
Date commenced 01/06/2005
Completion date (original) 01/06/2008
Completion date (revised)
Reporting period Project Completion Report
Contact Officer(s)
In Australia: Team Leader
Name:
Mr Chris Morrissy
Telephone:
+61 3 5227 5000
Position:
Supervisor Mammalian Virology
Fax:
+61 3 5227 5555
Organisation
Australian Animal Health
Laboratory [AAHL]
Private Bag 24
Geelong, VIC 3220,
Australia
chris.morrissy@csiro.au
In Australia: Administrative Contact
Name:
Mr Christopher Morrissy
Telephone:
+61 3 5227 5434
Position:
Patents Contracts Officer
Fax:
+61 3 5227 5555
Organisation
Australian Animal Health
Laboratory [AAHL]
Private Bag 24
Geelong, VIC 3220
Australia
christopher.morrissy@
csiro.au
In Vietnam
Name:
Dr Dong Manh Hoa
Telephone:
+ 84 8 8568220
Position:
Director
Fax:
+ 84 8 8569050
Organisation
Regional Animal Health Office
(RAHO-6)
Ho Chi Minh City
South Vietnam
rahchcmc@hcm.vnn.vn
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2. Project Abstract
The aims of this project were to develop capacity for FMD diagnosis, surveillance
and control at both a laboratory and field level within the wider animal health network
in Vietnam. Improved diagnostic capacity will facilitate early detection and identification
of FMD enabling better disease control. Specifically, successful capacity development
at regional laboratories will enable quality assured laboratory capability for FMDV
diagnosis and serology. This will be applied to the investigation of FMDV serotypes
currently in circulation, vaccination coverage/response and the elucidation of on-
going suspected FMD vaccine failures in Vietnam. In addition, the successful
establishment of an effective laboratory network for the diagnosis and control of
FMD will provide a greater understanding of FMD epidemiology and will facilitate the
coordination and implementation of effective vaccination control strategies via the
wider animal health network in Vietnam.
3. Executive Summary
On completion, this project has realised all laboratory-based objectives at a national
level. However, due to the lack of epidemiology support and the diversion of DAH
resources to deal with outbreaks of AI and PRRSV, field-dependent objectives were
only achieved to a varying extent throughout Vietnam as a whole. Nevertheless all
project objectives were fully realised and with great effect in southern Vietnam.
Despite considerable achievements on a regional basis, this project clearly
demonstrates the consequences of not having a fully integrated FMD diagnostic and
surveillance network at a national level. In relation to FMD capacity development
and sustainability, one of the primary aims of this project was to “highlight the
importance of having an integrated laboratory network to identify what is happening
in the field and how to prevent and control outbreaks”. This project on a national
scale was undoubtedly ambitious. Indeed this was the intention and in this respect
the project has been highly effective. For example, the considerable success
achieved in southern Vietnam has highlighted RAHO-6 as an exemplar to DAH. In
addition, the success achieved by RAHO-6 will act as an impetus to other regional
offices in relation to the requirement for closer integration and clear, effective, two-
way communication between laboratory and field-based personnel.
During the course of the project there was a clear improvement and advances in
both laboratory and field-based activities for the diagnosis and control of FMD. The
AAHL Scientific Coordinator has mentored and liaised extensively with four
diagnostic laboratories; RAHO-6 [HCMC]; NCVD [Hanoi]; RAHO-7 [Can Tho];
RAHO-4 [Da Nang] and one research laboratory, NAVETCO [HCMC]. As a result of
successful capacity development and technology transfer from AAHL the RAHO-6
and NCVD laboratories now possess comprehensive, quality assured capabilities to
diagnose FMD and perform sero-surveillance. In addition, both laboratories are
capable of performing FMD virus isolation, virus neutralisation, ELISAs, PCR and
sequencing/genotyping for the characterisation of FMD field isolates. All FMD
laboratory diagnostic capabilities have been subject to internal quality assurance
following on-site appraisal by the AAHL Scientific Coordinator using reference
reagents supplied by AAHL and also external quality assurance using PT Panels
from both AAHL and the FMD Regional Reference Laboratory in Thailand as
detailed in earlier Milestone reports. This has resulted in the recognition of both
RAHO-6 and NCVD as FMD Reference Laboratories in Vietnam.
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In addition, quality assured FMD diagnostic capability in the form of the AAHL FMD
Ag ELISA [for the detection of virus] and both the AAHL FMD C-ELISA and LP-
ELISA [for post-vaccination surveillance] have been successfully established at both
RAHO-4, RAHO-7 and NAVETCO.
Following the establishment of comprehensive FMD diagnostic, virus isolation and
serotyping capability at RAHO-6 tests have been implemented with both zeal and
determination and of particular significance, with a long-term strategic vision. For
example, the isolation and propagation of FMD serotypes in cell culture has been
used by RAHO-6 to produce their own FMD antigens for in-house ELISA use and
are distributing this antigen for use in other regional laboratories in Vietnam. In
addition, ongoing sero-surveillance, vaccine efficacy monitoring and the serotyping
of FMD field isolates has facilitated the evidence-based selection of the most
appropriate FMD vaccine serotype composition and the identification of disease
incursions from adjacent countries.
As detailed in earlier Milestone Reports, central to the achievement of project
objectives in regions such as southern Vietnam was the close integration of
laboratory and field-based activities. Overall, there was a significant improvement in
the amount of data and quality of field specimens submitted to the laboratories over
each surveillance round. This reflected a greater appreciation of the importance of
high quality field data and clinical specimens for FMD surveillance and control by
regional laboratories. The realisation of project objectives in regions such as
southern Vietnam was greatly facilitated by the leadership, focus and vision of the
main collaborating laboratory / office, RAHO-6. In particular, the establishment and
support of an epidemiological unit at RAHO-6 as a result of this project has greatly
assisted in the training of epidemiologists and field veterinarians in FMD sero-
surveillance, outbreak control and disease investigation including vaccine failure.
During the course of this project, this closer integration, collaboration and
communication between RAHO-6 laboratory / office and field personnel in southern
Vietnam has facilitated the acquisition of the necessary high quality field data and
clinical specimens. This highly effective two-way integration has resulted in an every
decreasing incidence of FMD outbreaks in southern Vietnam with only one isolated
outbreak being detected in the 2009-2010 reporting period. This significant
achievement has been noted by DAH, attests to the effectiveness of the project
implementation approach, and highlights the successful RAHO-6 “lab-to-field” and
“field-to-lab” integration as an exemplar to other regional laboratories / offices.
Sero-surveillance and epidemiological studies have enabled the acquisition of
important data in relation to vaccine coverage, the serotyping of FMD field isolates
and the prevalence of FMD infection in Vietnam. This data has enabled driven
science-based changes in vaccine recommendations to be made with great effect in
the field. This project has not only been of benefit to Vietnam but has also lead to a
greater knowledge and understanding of circulating FMDV genotypes and the
benefits of sero-surveillance for the whole region. In acknowledgement of the
significance of this work, project participants have been invited to a number of
regional [SEAFMD LabNet 2010; SEAFMD LMWG 2008] and international meetings
[EU-FMD; OIE Subcommittee 2010] to present Vietnam’s highly effective
implementation strategy for the control of FMD. Of particular significance, it should
be noted that as a result of this project Vietnam is recognised internationally as
model example to other counties in the region in relation to the successful
implementation of FMD diagnostic tests, sero-surveillance, outbreak investigations
and disease control.