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GRIPAVI

REVASIA

Virology

Research and training activities in molecular virology

High throughput detection and molecular detection of avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) : virus ecology and transfer within and between wild and domestic birds.

Studies on gene functions (primarily NS1 and PB1-F2) with potential long-term application on the development of new control tools (new antivirals).

Laboratory-based training and technology transfer.

Molecular detection and characterization of AIV and NDV

High throughput molecular detection : based on automated extraction of nucleic acids and 96-well format real-time PCR : maximum capacity of influenza A screening 350 samples / day
Screening of AIV type A (gene M) and NDV (gene F), subtyping H5, H7 and pathotyping by sequencing of the cleavage site
Genome sequencing and sequence analysis in two directions: (1) investigation on known molecular determinants of virulence and host specificity, (2) phylogenetic analysis to establish relationships between African strains from wild and domestic birds and with other virus sequences available in databanks

Training and technology transfer

Laboratory-based training on molecular diagnostic tools : in CIRAD laboratory or on-site
Coordination with other institutions (FAO/AIEA, GTZ…)

Facilities

610 m² of biosafety laboratory level 2 (BSL2) and 240 m² of BSL3
250 m² of animal facilities, level 2

Automate, real-time PCR and other equipments for conventional and molecular virology

Perspective

Development of point-of-care molecular diagnostic systems, towards integrated sample preparation, nucleic acid amplification, microarray hybridization and fluorescence readout in a single system

The team

Saliha Hammoumi (high throughput virus detection and molecular characterisation)
Renata Servan de Almeida (gene sequencing and functional studies)
Patricia Gil (high throughput detection and molecular characterisation)
Colette Grillet (high throughput detection and molecular characterisation)
Emmanuel Albina (head of virology team, coordination)
Dominique Martinez (head of research unit “control of animal diseases”, general coordination)

Partnership

intra-CIRAD : Epidemiology Unit + Wild life Unit (field sample collection and analysis)
IZSVe & VLA : diagnostic tools
AFSSA : virus characterization
INRA : study of gene function
Institut Pasteur : virus detection in the environment

Interesting web-links in influenza virology :

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/FLU/FLU.html

http://gsc.jcvi.org/projects/msc/influenza/

http://www.flu.lanl.gov/

http://www.offlu.net/

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/avian_influenza/affected_species_chart.jsp

[ Contact ]

Dominique Martinez , Head of Control of emerging diseases unit