Development of diagnostic and control procedures for infectious diseases of domestic and wild bird species with high economic and public health risk

Most of our institute's research groups are involved in the research project. The project’s main objectives were generated by the animal health problems caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites that threaten the competitiveness of poultry industry, and that could lead to market improvements for the sector. Research directions have been identified that can effectively help to address the current challenges in poultry nutrition, food chain safety and zoonoses. These are:

1. Establishing the basis for alternative enterobacterial vector vaccination against avian influenza A virus; and testing its efficacy in vitro and in vivo.
2. Monitoring, and study the epidemiology and virulence of West Nile virus of zoonotic importance in wild birds.
3. Characterization of poultry adenoviruses, understanding their genetic background and investigating their putative immunomodulatory role.
4. Development of molecular biological and serological methods for the diagnosis and epidemiological investigation of diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria in poultry.
5. Development of molecular biology-based rapid diagnostic methods for the detection of antibiotic resistance against Mycoplasma, enteric and respiratory bacterial infections of poultry, to facilitate targeted treatment of poultry flocks.
6. Whole genome sequencing of representative strains of bacteria causing disease in flocks; establishment of a serviceable database to determine the molecular background of antibiotic resistance and virulence, for evolutionary biology research.
7. Development of a diagnostic method for early detection of pathogenic coccidial infections, assessment of the vector role of ectoparasites; elaboration of recommendations for disease control.