Project News

Training course for laboratory diagnosis of avian Influenza virus was organized in National Influenza Center (NIC) in Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City (PIHCMC) from July 23 to 25. Lecturers included Dr.Thanh and her colleague (NIC, NIHE), Dr. Thanh Long (NIC, PIHCMC) and Dr. Kageyama (Influenza virus Research Center, NIID, Japan). Total number of participants was 18 people including 14 staffs from NIC, PIHCMC and 4 staffs from regional Institutes such as Tay Nguyen Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and Pasteur Institute of Nha Tranh.

This training course was organized focusing on basic knowledge and laboratory techniques for virus isolation culture. Dr Kageyama provided the participants with the basic procedures for maintenance of a culture cell line (MDCK cell), passage of a cell line, Influenza virus isolation by cell culture through their lectures, practice and discussion together with researchers of NIHE NIC. The training course also included the methods of propagating Influenza virus in embryonated chicken eggs and HA assay for titration of Influenza virus based on hemagglutinination reaction. There are slight differences in methods employed among regional institutes in culture cells (cell line MDCK), components of reagents, and culture methods, resulting in some difficulties to standardize the protocol among regional institutes in the present. Taken together, SOP for Influenza virus isolation should be prepared to augment the efficiency of virus isolation in each institute. Equipments necessary for Influenza virus isolation should be provided in some institutes in order to strengthen the capacity of laboratories and to perform laboratory diagnosis with high quality. Program for augmentation of quality assurance in testing should be implanted such as EQA program because quality management system for diagnosis has not been established in regional institutes except NIHE.

Lecture on virus isolation by Dr Thanh

All of participants in Avian Influenza training course