Percepción del riesgo en el proceso de producción de vacunas aviares / Risk perception in the avian vaccine production process

La importancia que tienen para la avicultura cubana el virus de la enfermedad infecciosa de la bolsa (Gumboro) y el virus de la viruela aviar, así como la producción de vacunas que permitan controlar las enfermedades producidas por estos agentes biológicos, justifican la necesidad del establecimiento de una buena gestión de la bioseguridad, ya que el desconocimiento de los peligros y riesgos del personal que labora en estas vacunas puede provocar accidentes de consecuencias indeseables para el producto, escapes de estos microorganismos durante sus procesos productivos y la consecuente contaminación del medio ambiente. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue realizar un análisis de la percepción de riesgo existente en el personal responsable del proceso de producción de dos vacunas aviares. Para ello se utilizó el software RISKPERCEP en una instalación de producción de vacunas aviares; su aplicación mostró variables que demostraron subestimación del riesgo por el personal expuesto y variables con tendencia a la sobrestimación, asociadas fundamentalmente al incorrecto diseño de la instalación. Se concluye que existe la necesidad de una buena capacitación y que se impartan cursos de actualización de bioseguridad donde se tengan en cuenta todos los aspectos del diseño del laboratorio que puedan solucionarse(AU)

The importance of infectious bursal disease virus and fowl pox virus for Cuban poultry farming, as well as the production of vaccines to control the diseases caused by these biological agents, justifies the need for establishment of a good Biosafety management; since the ignorance of the dangers and risks on the part of the personnel that works in them can cause accidents with undesirable consequences for the product, escapes of these microorganisms during their production processes and the consequent contamination of the environment. The objective of the research was to carry out an analysis of the perception of risk in the personnel responsible for the production process of two avian vaccines. The RISKPERCEP software was used in an avian vaccine production facility; its application showed variables that demonstrated underestimation of the risk by the exposed personnel and variables with a tendency to overestimate; fundamentally associated with the incorrect design of the facility. Finally, it is proposed that biosafety update courses be given and that all aspects of the laboratory design that can be solved are taken into account(AU)

Isolation and Molecular Biological Characterization of Fowlpox Virus from Specimen of Cutaneous Nodular Lesions from Chickens in Several Regions of Tanzania.

Aim: To investigate molecular and evolutionary characteristics of genes of fowlpox virus (FWPV) isolates from chickens in Tanzania. Study Design: Experimental. Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania; between November 2011 and October 2013. Methodology: Samples of cutaneous nodular lesions were collected from featherless parts of chickens (n = 154) suspected to have fowl pox in 14 regions of Tanzania followed by virus isolation, DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the P4b gene, gel electrophoresis of PCR products, purification of PCR products, sequencing of purified PCR products and finally analysis of sequence data using standard procedures. Results: The disease was confirmed in 12 regions, out of 154 investigated samples 66 (42.86%) were found to contain FWPV, indicating that the 66 chickens from which the samples were collected had fowl pox as a result FWPV infection. Sequence analysis revealed that the Tanzanian FWPV isolates were 99.65 – 100% identical to each other and 99 – 100% identical to several published sequences of FWPV isolates from various countries in different continents of the world, including Europe and Asia. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all Tanzanian isolates belong to clade A, subclade A1. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study it is concluded that currently fowl pox is prevalent in several regions of Tanzania, caused by FWPVs which are genetically and phylogenetically closely related. However, these findings do not rule out the possibility of existence of genetic divergence among FWPVs currently prevalent in Tanzania. In order to rule out or detect genetic divergence (if any) among FWPVs currently prevalent in the country, other studies aimed at investigating molecular and evolutionary characteristics of genes in other genomic regions are highly recommended.

Integration of Reticuloendotheliosis Virus in Most of Tanzanian Fowl Pox Virus Isolates is not attributed to Imported Commercial Fowl Pox Vaccines.

Aim: To investigate integration of reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) in the Tanzanian fowlpox virus (FWPV) field isolates, and the imported commercial fowl pox vaccines currently used in the country. Study Design: Experimental. Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania; between June 2012 and October 2013. Methodology: Fifty five samples of FWPV isolates from naturally infected chickens, and two isolates of FWPV from samples of the imported commercial fowl pox vaccines were analyzed for integration of REV envelope (env) gene and REV 5'long terminal repeat (5'LTR). The study involved polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of FWPV P4b gene, REV env gene, and REV 5'LTR; agarose gel electrophoresis of PCR products, purification of PCR products, sequencing of the purified PCR products, and sequence analysis using standard procedures. Results: Out of 55 analyzed field isolates 53 (96.36%) were found to have REV inserts. Most of them [38 (69.09%)] contained both REV env gene and REV 5'LTR inserts, 10 (18.18%) contained inserts of REV env gene only, and 5 (9.09%) contained inserts of REV 5'LTR only. Two isolates (3.64%) were found to be integrated with neither REV env gene nor REV 5'LTR. None of the screened FWPV isolates from the imported commercial vaccines was found to have REV inserts. Sequence analysis revealed that genomic fragments of REV integrated in the Tanzanian FWPV isolate were closely related (99– 100% identity) to REV sequences integrated in FWPV isolates from other countries. Conclusion: Currently there is a heterogeneous population of FWPV in Tanzania comprising of REV-integrated FWPV strains and REV-free FWPV strains. Since strain(s) of REV-integrated FWPV are more virulent than strain(s) of REV-free FWPV, further studies on the REV-integrated Tanzania FWPV isolates aiming at obtaining the appropriate isolate for development of autogenous fowl pox vaccine are highly recommended.