Partners

Istituto Zooprofilattico sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”

Founded in 1941, the IZS -Teramo is a public institution belonging to the Italian National Health System (www.izs.it). Adopting the “One Health approach”, it
provides scientific and technical support to competent authorities in Italy and abroad on issues related to public health, animal health and animal welfare, food hygiene
and food safety, and environmental protection.
The IZS – Teramo is one of the ten official veterinary laboratories operating, as a network, in support of the Italian Ministry of Health. It handles laboratory testing activities and surveillance of zoonotic animal diseases, risk assessment, risk management and risk communication, contingency planning and emergency management, as well as research, international cooperation, technical assistance and capacity building in the above domains.
The IZS – Teramo is officially appointed as National Reference Centre for:

• Exotic Diseases (CESME)
• Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (COVEPI)
• Brucellosis
• Urban Hygiene and Non-Epidemic Emergencies (IUVENE)
• National Database for the Animal Identification and Registration System (CSN).

And National Reference Laboratory for:

• Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR)
• Capripox viruses (Sheep & Goat Pox and Lumpy Skin Disease)
• African Horse Sickness (AHS)
• Bluetongue (BT)
• West Nile Disease (WND)
• Listeria monocytogenes
• Campylobacter
• Halogenated Persistent Organic

At international level it is also:

• EU Reference Laboratory for Rift Valley Fever
• Member of the European Reference Centre for Animal Welfare – Ruminants and Equines
• FAO Reference Centre for Veterinarian Epidemiology
• FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses (in Consortium with IZSVe)
• Member of the FAO Reference Centre for Animal Health and Food Security (Technical areas: Brucellosis, Lumpy skin disease, Animal Welfare, LIMS and animal identification system)
• ERFAN (Enhancing Research for Africa network) network secretariat

Furthermore, for the WOAH the IZS Teramo is:

• Collaborating Centre for:
  – Veterinary Training and Capacity Building;
  – Animal Production Food Safety;
  – Epidemiology, modelling and surveillance;
  – Animal Welfare (in Consortium with SCAW/SLU)
• Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Bluetongue,
  West Nile Disease.

Istituto Zooprofilattico sperimentale delle Venezie

The IZSVE is a public veterinary Institute, which conducts prevention, control and research activities in three main areas: animal health and welfare, food safety,
environmental protection. Founded in 1929 in Padua, it employs almost 600 people, including veterinarians, biologists, chemists, technicians and administration staff.
IZSVE’s mission is the preservation of public health, in terms of food safety and prevention of zoonoses, and animal welfare, in terms of animal health and living conditions. It provides, among other services, technical and scientific support to both national and regional programmes for the monitoring, treatment and eradication of animal diseases, as well as emergency, livestock and biosafety management programmes.
IZSVE collaborates with the main national and international bodies that deal with animal health and food safety. It serves as national and international reference centre on specific issues for the Ministry of Health, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO).
IZSVE has participated in several other EU projects, including ongoing H2020 projects (see below), and international cooperation projects, as well as national applied research projects funded by the Italian Ministry of Health.
Based on the experience acquired at national and international level, the Italian Ministry for Health appointed the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie is currently the Italian National Reference Centre for:

• Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease
• Beekeeping
• Diseases at the Animal/Human Interface
• Fish, Crustacean and Mollusc Pathology
• Pet Therapy
• Rabies
• Salmonellosis

The national reference centres operating at the IZSVE perform the following activities planned at a governmental level: confirming diagnoses made by other laboratories, implementing the standardization of methods, conducting the appropriate “ring tests” (inter-laboratory controls), preparing intervention plans, collaborating with other EU or international reference centres, providing specialised assistance and information to the Italian Ministry of Health.

At international level, IZSVE has been appointed as:

• European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease
• FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses (in Consortium with IZS-Teramo)
• FAO Reference Centre for Animal Influenza and Newcastle Disease
• FAO Reference Centre for Rabies
• WOAH Collaborating Centre for Diseases at the Animal/Human Interface
• WOAH Collaborating Centre for Epidemiology, Training and Control of Emerging Avian Diseases
• WOAH Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease
• WOAH Reference Laboratory for Salmonellosis
• WOAH Reference Laboratory for Viral Encephalopathy and Retinopathy of Marine Fish

These laboratories are responsible for facing scientific and technical issues associated with the diseases included in the WOAH lists, and are centres of excellence, which in addition to conducting research on a specific disease also work towards the standardisation of diagnostic techniques.

Istituto Superiore di sanita IT

The ISS (www.iss.it) is the Italian National Public Health Institute. Its mission is the promotion and protection of national and international public health through
research, surveillance, regulation, control, prevention, communication, counselling and training. ISS activities are distributed in 6 Departments, 16 National Centers, 2
Reference Centers, 5 Technical-scientific services and a Notified Body for the assessment of the conformity of medical devices.
The ISS activity encompasses all fields of public health, from Infectious Diseases, to Food safety, Veterinary public health, Nutrition, Neuroscience, Cancer, Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, Environment and health, Toxicology, Pharmacology, Global Health. It employs about 2300 staff personnel, including more than 600 scientists.
Several units and expert units cooperate in ISS in institutional and research activities related to epidemiological and laboratory surveillance of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and foodborne and waterborne diseases. This multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration envisages interpreting the One-Health paradigm to fight zoonoses in their multifaceted aspects.
Department of Food safety, Nutrition and Veterinary public health (DFNV).
The mission of the Department of Food safety, Nutrition and Veterinary public health (DFNV) is the promotion and protection of public health through the development, the assessment and the application of knowledge, tools and strategies aimed at ensuring food safety, fighting zoonoses and promoting the adoption of healthy diet habits. The DFNV is the main body involved in food safety risk assessment at national level.
Main fields of investigation relevant to the present application are: pathogenesis of infectious diseases, host immune response and epidemiology of zoonoses, foodborne and waterborne diseases, virulence factors of foodborne and zoonotic microorganisms, development of diagnostic methods. A specific focus is dedicated to the laboratory and epidemiological surveillance of foodborne diseases for which national centres and registers are established. National and European Reference laboratories are also
established at the DFNV as well as the Italian Focal Point for the Food and Waterborne Diseases and Zoonoses Programme of ECDC.

In the area of zoonoses and foodborne diseases, the researchers of DFNV collaborate with the main institutional partners: EFSA, ECDC, DG SANTE, WOAH, WHO, Codex, ISO/CEN and participate in committees, expert panels, working groups and pilot studies. Researchers of DFNV have also been involved in the most important research initiatives at the EU level including the networks of excellence (MedVetNet), the One-Health European Joint Programme (https://onehealthejp.eu/) and several ECfunded projects and concerted actions.
DFNV team also participate in surveillance and/or support the main EU informative sources in the area of zoonoses, in particular TESSy, EPIS, EWRS, RASFF, ROA.
In the sector of foodborne diseases, the Unit of Microbiological food safety and food-borne diseases – One Health FWD of the DFNV carries out activities on food-borne microorganisms and related infections, in particular on Escherichia coli, viral contamination of food of animal and non-animal origin, botulism and Listeria monocytogenes and includes the following laboratories and Reference centers for a series of microbiological hazards:

• European Union Reference Laboratory for Escherichia coli, including Verotoxigenic E. coli (EURLVTEC) iss.it/vtec
• National reference laboratory for Escherichia coli iss.it/coli
• National reference laboratory for food-borne viruses
• National reference center for botulism

In addition, the Department is also entrusted with the development and maintenance of both the Italian registry of hemolytic-uremic syndrome (epicentro.iss.it/seu) and the public server ARIES (irida.iss.it/irida-aries/login) for the analysis of genomics data of microorganisms.
Under the DFNV, the Unit of emerging Zoonosis carries out research on emerging infectious diseases of animals, studies the etiopathogenesis, elaborates management strategies and assesses the risks for humans. It develops diagnostic methods for the identification and characterization of different etiological agents (Prions, norovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus, Hepatitis E, Brucella spp., Mycobacterium spp., Bacillus anthracis, Salmonella spp., Bacillus cereus), as well as animal models for the evaluation of prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. The Unit is home to the European Reference Laboratory for TSE Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (EST) of animals. In 1999, the OU began activity on noroviruses in connection with the European network FBVE (Food-borne Viruses in Europe), with which then it merged into the European surveillance network of gastroenteritis caused by norovirus, NoroNet.
The Unit coordinates the laboratories of the surveillance network of infections caused by rotavirus in pediatric patients, through molecular typing of the viral strains. The network is part of an international collaboration with the EuroRotaNet (European Rotavirus Strain Surveillance Network), which is responsible for providing detailed information on the genotypes of rotavirus co-circulating at the European level.

The Department of Infectious Diseases (DID)

The mission of the Department of Infectious Diseases (DID) is the research on and fight against infectious diseases. The DID carries out evidence-based research on pathogens, host response to infection and treatment as well as monitoring, diagnosis, advice, surveillance and diagnosis confirmation activities.
The main duties of DID are the surveillance of infectious diseases including parasites and antimicrobial resistance, and the national and international collaboration with institutions in charge of surveillance, control and prevention. WHO, European and National reference laboratories for infectious diseases are located at the Department.
The ISS participated, as leader or partner, in 80 research projects funded by EC FP7. Of those, the DFNV has been partner of 9 and DID of 6 projects dealing with fields pertinent to the topic of the call.
The ISS promotes and supports the creation of national and international networks of technical and scientific excellence in order to advance knowledge and operational skills in particular areas of public health in a multidimensional and interdisciplinary logic.
Surveillance systems and registers established at the DID are intended to guarantee the systematic collection of personal, health and epidemiological data, to record and characterize all cases of risk to health, of a particular disease and its treatments and outcomes, or of a relevant health condition in a defined population. In the area of zoonoses and foodborne diseases, the Department has the following international and national reference laboratories

WHO Collaborating Center for the Epidemiology, Detection and Control of Cystic and Alveolar Echinococcosis

• World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) – Reference Laboratory for Trichinellosis
• European Union Reference Laboratory for Parasites
• National reference laboratory for Arbovirus
• National reference laboratory for Hepatitis A
• National reference laboratory for Leptospirosis
• National reference laboratory for Trichinellosis

The National Center for Water Safety (CeNSiA) provides technical-scientific guidance, supports policy and legislative development, provides regulatory support, fosters cooperation, conducts training, and exercises oversight concerning aspects of human health linked to water access and sanitary services.
This comprehensive role ranges from the origins and conditions of water resources within the environment to their interactions with climatic variables, environmental and anthropogenic elements, the maintenance of hygienic processes, treatments, facilities, and materials in contact with water, the management of water use and reuse, and the diverse pathways of human exposure. The fields of application encompass water for human consumption, agricultural, animal and food production,
recreational and bathing activities, sustainable reuse practices, as well as the interplay between marine environment and human well-being.

The Center is structured into four functional areas:

• microbiological and virological risk;
• chemical risk;
• coordination, management, and data access;
• assessment and approval of water safety plans.

CeNSiA’s activities are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda and
the WHO guidance on climate-environment-water and health.

Ministero della salute IT

In Italy, the competencies for food and feed safety, animal health (including zoonoses), and animal welfare are assigned – at the national level – to the Directorate
General for Animal Health and Veterinary Drugs (DGAHVD) and the Directorate General for Food Safety and Nutrition of the Ministry of Health, that depend upon a
Secretariat General.
The Italian Ministry of Health (Ministero della Salute) coordinates and supervises the direct intervention of the Italian State on: the preparation of legislation, regulation and other legislative acts; public health, animal health and welfare, food safety and nutrition; risk assessment on food safety; coordination of Superior Health Council; control on feedstuffs, veterinary drugs, and pesticides. It addresses research and experimentation on public and veterinary health and welfare and food safety and assures the
coordination and funding of Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali (veterinary research laboratories). The Ministry represents Italy at intergovernmental organisations such as: The World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and – for the issues belonging to its competence – at the Institutions of the EU (European Council, European Commission, and European Food Safety Authority, in particular). The
MINSAL gives high priority to international cooperation activities, thus supports and promotes the development of initiatives in this field.
The competences on animal health, control of zoonoses (including food-borne zoonoses), and food safety belong to the Directorate General for Animal Health and Veterinary Drugs – which manages the National Crisis Management Centre and the Central Crisis Unit – and the Directorate General for food safety and
nutrition. The National Crisis Management Centre – Animal Health has been established at the MINSAL to handle all outbreaks, animal diseases and zoonoses, including co-ordination at national level.
Coordination is easy to achieve thanks to the adoption of the One Health approach.
The command chain belongs – in parallel – to two different Directorates General (DGs), responsible for their competence and reporting to the same Minister, who takes the final decision in case of serious risks to human health, with the technical support of them.

The two DGs are together competent on:

• epidemiological surveillance of animal infectious diseases, animal health;
• animal identification and registration;
• control of zoonoses and of food-borne zoonoses;
• animal welfare, animal reproduction, zootechnical hygiene, urban veterinary hygiene;
• surveillance and control of veterinary drugs;
• risk management on animal health and food safety;
• controls on import and internal market exchange of animals, animal-by products, feedstuffs and
  veterinary drugs, and raw materials for their preparation;
• coordination of Border Inspection Posts and Peripheral Veterinary Offices for EU market;

Audits and inspections:

• European and international relationships;
• hygiene and safety of food production and trade, national control plans on the food chain;
• alert system management and emergency management
• nutrition
• health aspects related to food technologies, novel food, and GMOs;
• physical, biological, and chemical contaminants in the food chain;
• food contact materials;
• phytosanitary products;
• export and certification;
• coordination of official laboratories.

The following local offices of the MINSAL are responsible for import controls and intra-Union trade:

• 23 Border Inspection Posts (BIPs), responsible for controls on imported animals, food of animal
  origin and feeding stuffs;
• 12 Port, Airport and Border Health Offices (USMAF), comprising 37 local units at the main ports
  and airports, responsible for controls on imported food of not animal origin;
• 17 Veterinary Offices for Compliance with EU Requirements (UVAC), responsible for intra
  community trade of animals, food of animal origin and feed.

Except for those matters explicitly reserved to the central government, such as matters of general State interest, import controls, international disease prevention, risk assessment in the food chain and consultation of producers and consumers, the responsibility of controls is regional/local.
The 19 Regions and 2 Autonomous Provinces have the responsibility, within their territories, for planning, coordination, guidance, authorisation, and verification, while the operational implementation of controls is handled at local level by 139 Local Health Units. They have a high degree of managerial, administrative,
financial, and technical autonomy and are organised in sanitary districts, departments of prevention and hospital services.
At national level, the National Health Institute (ISS) is the main technical and scientific public body of the Italian National Health Service. The ISS (which is under the remit of the MINSAL) supervises the laboratories of the Italian National Health Service engaged in food and feed controls, and performs confirmatory analyses. Its activities include research, control, training and consultation in the interest of public health protection.