Review the Prague 2009 Programme

The two page "programme at a glance" shows when and where each session took place. (Click to download "Programme at a Glance" PDF)

The detailed programme lists which presentations will be took place in each session and also provides a running order for those presentations. (Click to download "Detailed Programme" PDF)

Workshop Information

Histopathology Workshop

Organisers: David Bruno, Barbara Nowak, Diane Elliott

The histopathology workshop on 'gastrointestinal pathology' will be take place on the 19 September. This workshop is for EAFP membes only and priority given to individuals who can present material on this subject.

If you would like to reserve a place please contact David Bruno (d.bruno@marlab.ac.uk). There will be a small charge of 25 euros to cover the cost lunch and the production of a CD. 

Research approaches to studying climate change effects on myxozoan disease

While predictions for the effects of climate change on myxozoan disease will be similar to those developed for other fish pathogens, their complex life cycles introduce some unique considerations. The goals of this session are to begin discussion on current research approaches that can be applied to studying and making predictions of changing myxozoan disease patterns and to develop collaborative links and pre-proposal outlines for specific funding opportunities.

Some of the specific topics that will be considered include:

1. What we still need to know to predict how temperature changes will affect myxozoan disease (e.g. effects of temperature on host immune response, progress of infection in both hosts, effects of temperature on parasite stages in the environment).

2. What myxozoans would be appropriate models for study (e.g. those that have sufficient data and geographic distributions on the edges of the parasite’s current temperature range).

3. What methodologies should be developed or applied for monitoring disease or detecting changes in parasite abundance (e.g. water filtration/QPCR, sentinel studies etc) and what are the limitations of these in developing predictions.

4. How do we integrate the various databases that predict changes in temperature, water flow, sedimentation etc to develop a model for disease effects.

 

DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH IN MOLLUSC DISEASE SURVEILLANCE: WHERE ARE WE?

Isabelle Arzul (Ifremer La Tremblade-France) & Franck Berthe (EFSA Parma-Italy)

Surveillance of mollusc diseases is routinely performed by histology or cytology and increasingly by PCR. When outbreaks of mortality occur, histology is indicated as a frontline method if no specific pathogen is suspected and no presumptive diagnostic methods can be used. When a pathogen is detected and identified in light microscopy, confirmatory methods (e.g. electron microscopy and/or molecular probes) are usually used to overcome the lack of specificity of histology. However, there is no or very little consensus on how to best apply these different techniques. The lack of contextual methodological framework certainly hampers the efficacy and adequacy of investigation of and early response to disease outbreaks.

The efforts in research and development of DNA based diagnostic methods currently offer a broad panel of probes and tests. These offer the theoretical advantages of high sensitivity and high specificity, and possible rapid screening of molluscs for the presence of a targeted pathogen. However, while they are moving from development in research laboratories to routine application in disease monitoring programmes, validation and standardisation of these test are still needed. Combination of diagnostic methods and selection of tests urgently calls for the establishment of sensitivity and specificity values.

The further development and use of molecular diagnostic techniques such as real time PCR, microarrays, branched DNA based technology, also hold promise for international efforts to control the introduction of exotic diseases and pests into new geographic areas. One long recognised caveat to the routine use of molecular diagnostic techniques is false positive or false negative results. With the forecast application of new detection technologies to mollusc health, one should consider their possible advantages and disadvantages in light of the lessons learnt from PCR in the recent past.

Incidental detection of pathogen occurrence outside their known geographical range (e.g. Bonamia exitiosa in Europe) also raises concerns about our expectations for targeted surveillance. Histology, at best, would only provide a genus level type of information. Histology based surveillance indeed has several underlying assumptions which may need to be spelled out more clearly. How specific should be surveillance directly influence the selection and choice of analytical methods. The bottom-line of this question is that objectives of surveillance need to be clearly established.

In this context, the objectives of the proposed workshop will be to:

• Exchange practical laboratory experience in applying different methods and tests for mollusc disease diagnostic;
• Discuss the choice of methods and tests according to possible objectives of surveillance;
• Review and forecast possible application of new detection methodologies to mollusc diseases and

• make some recommendations for their future use;
• Propose a contextual methodological framework for investigation of disease outbreaks.

.
This workshop will include three presentations:

     Which diagnostic approach for which objective of surveillance by Isabelle Arzul

     Taxonomy: describing, classifying, diagnosing by Franck Berthe

     Bonamia and the species problem by Marc Engeslma

 

  We plan some time for discussion and expect to:

 

Isabelle Arzul

IFREMER
Laboratoire de Genetique et Pathologie
OIE Reference Laboratory for marteiliosis and bonamiosis
EU Community Reference Laboratory for diseases of molluscs
www.ifremer.fr/crlmollusc

Email : iarzul@ifremer.fr

Gill Health Workshop

Coordinator: Mark D. Powell

The issue of gill diseases and more importantly gill health is a significant focus with regard to fish health. Both infectious and non-infectious gill diseases occur in both fresh and marine environments and represent significant losses to aquaculture. This workshop is being held as an initiative of the European Gill Health Network and will focus on what is currently known about the patho-physiology, treatment, immunology and impact of gill diseases in aquaculture. Whereas much of the research appears to have been concentrated upon identification of aetiological agents it is envisaged that this workshop will lead to identification of common gaps in our knowledge allowing us to be able to identify key areas of urgent research. This workshop will consist of several short presentations from experts in their respective fields and an active discussion and commentary session. The outcome of this workshop will allow us to identify strategic areas where a more focussed research effort is required if we are to combat the impact of gill disease.

Introduction

Patho-physiology of gill diseases/disorders

Pathogenesis of gill diseases

Diagnosis and case definitions

Immunology in gill diseases

Treating gill diseases what works and what doesn’t

Commercial expeiences with gill health management

Presentations from: Mark Powell - Gill pathophysiology

Barbara Nowak - Gill immunology

Scott LaPatra - Commercial perspectives of gill diseases

Jan Lovy - Cellular responses to gill pathogens

Francesc Padros - Gill pathogens of significance in the mediterranean

To be advised - Treatment of gill disease

Discussion

Conclusions

what are the gaps in our knowledge and understanding

what developments are needed for improvement of gill health

 

 EAFP WORKSHOP 2009, Prague:

Zoonotic infections from fish and shellfish

O. Haenen¹, J. Evans², and  M. Longshaw³⁽olga.haenen@wur.nl)

¹ Leading organizer, Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen UR, NRL for Fish and Shellfish Diseases, P.O. Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands.

² Chairperson & co-organizer, Agricultural Research Service, Aquatic Animal Health Research Laboratory, 118 B Lynchburg St. Chestertown, MD 21620 USA

³ Chairperson & co-organizer, Center for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Barrack Road,The Nothe, Weymouth, DT4 8UB, U.K.

 

We organize this workshop based on principal zoonotic pathogens: Vibrio vulnificus, Streptococcus iniae, S. agalactiae, Edwardsiella tarda, Mycobacterium spp. and noroviruses (Norwalk-like viruses). Please see also the attachment and the (www.eafp.org). After small lectures, a general discussion will be held, and a report of the workshop is now available click here and published in the Bulletin of the EAFP. 

PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME:

·        J.J. Evans*, P.H. Klesius , O. Haenen, and C.A. Shoemaker : Overview of zoonotic infections from fish and shellfish.   Click here to review report

·        Haenen*, I. Roozenburg-Hengst, M. Engelsma, J. Evans: Emerging problems with zoonotic bacteria in intensive warem water fish culture: facts and risks.  Click here to review report

·        M. Longshaw* et al.: Parasitic diseases acquired from fish. Click here to review report

·        Franck Berthe*et al.:Overview of the BIOHAZ opinions on food safety aspects at EFSA. Click here to review report

·        M.Dolores Furones*, A. Roque, C.L. Joven, B.Lacuesta, L. Elandaloussi: Vibrio vulnificus isolated from bivalves in the Spanish Mediterranean.  Click here to review report

·        A. Manfrin et al. : Mycobacteriosis in sea bass, rainbow trout, striped bass and Siberian sturgeon in Italy. Click here to review report

·        G. Richards,  G. Meade and  D. Kingsley: Method to extract viral RNA from shellfish (training video) 

References: click here

 

DISCUSSION POINTS

1.      What are the main risks for the aquaculture

2.      What are the main risks for professionals/consumers?

3.      What can we do about it:

a.       prevention, how?

b.      communication leaflets/publications?

c.       disinfection/control?

4.      Need for consolidation of fragmented literature relative to human infection from fish by bacterial species, How to consolidate? Published literature, surveys to health practitioners, regional epidemiologists, EFSA? To result in literature review

5.      Should diseases be made notifiable? OIE/EU? Define the reasons....

6.      Standardized reporting mechanisms from health practitioners?

7.      Central repository of records?

8.      General conclusions?

 

 

Olga

=============================================
Dr.ir. Olga L.M. Haenen
Head of the Fish and Shellfish Diseases Laboratory

Central Veterinary Institute (CVI) of Wageningen UR (Centraal Veterinair Instituut (CVI) van Wageningen UR)

Cluster General Bacteriology and Fish Diseases

Fish and Shellfish Diseases Laboratory,
P.O. Box 65
8200 AB  Lelystad

website: www.cvi.wur.nl 

phone   +31-320-238352/ colleagues: 238373/238729
mobile  +31-6-5373-8060
fax     +31-320-238153 
e-mail: olga.haenen@wur.nl
visiting address: Edelhertweg 15, 8219 PH  Lelystad

AQUATIC ANIMAL DISEASE SURVEILLANCE (In association with The International Society of Aquatic Animal Epidemiology (ISAAE))

 

http://isaaepi.org/modules/news/

BACKGROUND

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food sector in the world. Epidemics of established and emerging diseases represent a threat to the biodiversity of indigenous fisheries, the sustainability of developing aquaculture and to the social fabric of the populations associated with them.

 

Aquatic disease surveillance should be an important component of national and international disease control programs. The practical issues of How? Who? Where and at what cost? are less well defined, even in terrestrial animal health where the epidemiological capacity and practical experience of international disease control is better established. The OIE is currently preparing a guidebook on Aquatic Animal Disease surveillance, and this workshop will be based on this guidebook.

 

AIMS

The aim of the workshop will be to examine some of the practical issues surrounding aquatic animal disease surveillance and to discuss the OIE guide on Aquatic Animal Disease surveillance and its applicability on a national and international level.

FORMAT AND CONTENT

The workshop will open with a short presentation of the OIE guide and discussion of the major topics to be addressed. Members of the ISAAE will present a few surveillance programmes from their experience, and point out the flaws and advantages of these. Then we invite participants to discuss these topics, based on any problems, solutions or ”quandries” from personal experience. We encourage people from all fields within aquatic animal diseases (diagnostics, immunology/vaccinology, epidemiology, risk assessment, sampling) to share their opinions in relation to their field of expertise.

One of the exciting things about aquatic surveillance is that there is no ideal system. This workshop presents the opportunity to consider surveillance systems which capture relevant information but can be tailored to individual needs, when considering specific diseases or areas for surveillance.

FACILITATORS

The facilitators will be members of ISAAE, some have been involved in the development of guidelines and the practical execution of national and international disease surveillance programmes, others have expertise and experience in workshop and small group facilitation. For further details contact Britt Bang Jensen email: abrj@vet.dtu.dk