Page 11 - VHSA - Onderstepoort 100 Years - Part 3

vaccines had been tested in more than 30 000 head of cattle and proved to be safe and effective. A third formulation which contains the infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and parainfluenza (PI3) viruses had also been developed in conjunction with OBP, specifically for the prevention of shipping fever in cattle feedlots. All these vaccines were very well accepted by the market.
Work on recombinant botulism (lam- siekte) and Actinomyces pyogenes vaccines continued but were less successful. In con- trast, the ELISA test developed for the eva- luation of pulpy kidney vaccine proved to be highly effective and suitable to replace the mouse test previously used. In the diagnos- tic programme samples submitted reflected a world-wide trend towards increased iso- lation of new pathogenic strains of E. coli and an increase in samples submitted from poultry positive for Salmonella enteritidis, an important human pathogen.
Wildlife species contributed 50% of the samples received for routine tuberculosis culture. Restriction fragment length poly- morphism (RFLP) analysis revealed 16 gene- tically distinguishable strains of M. bovis among wildlife species, the majority of which had evolved from the common paren- tal cattle strain transmitted to buffaloes.
ONDERSTEPOORT 100
When Herr retired Henton acted as head of the section until her resignation in 2002 when Herr’s shoes were com- petently filled by Michel, who had already shown her abilities as a leader in the tuberculosis unit. Starting in 2000 her laboratory increasingly became involved in TB vaccination trials which included the establishment of an infection model in buffaloes in a joint effort to find suitable control measures
for the disease.
A significant development during
this period was the introduction of a so- called ‘Buffalo Test Package’ which pro- vided a customized fast-tracking service package for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, brucellosis, foot and mouth disease and Corridor disease. The product proved popu- lar and generated work and income for the laboratories involved while owners whose buffaloes tested negative for all four diseases could obtain high prices for their animals.
When Michel took over the Depart-
ment of Bacteriology and the diagnostic programme she continued improving the
quality of the diagnostic service to the
extent that ISO 17025 accreditation was obtained for nine of the 46 standard tests offered. She also established accredited
PCR and Feed and Food laboratories which enabled the section to obtain a contract
from the Gauteng Veterinary Services for
an extensive survey to monitor the health
of slaughter animals and the hygiene level
at abattoirs. 101
By 2005 all five disciplines within the Department had obtained ISO 17025 accreditation with 50% of tests accredited. Eighty percent of diagnostic tests were done for government departments, including contracts for Gauteng and the Northern
A. (Anna) Mouton joined Bacteriology in
1997 and, apart from becoming competent
in all aspects of diagnostic bacteriology,
started a health scheme for farmed aba-
lone and initiated a Quality Assurance Programme resulting in the bacteriology laboratory becoming the first SANAS (South
African National Accreditation Systems) accredited laboratory at Onderstepoort.
She was succeeded in 2001 by Prudence Kabongo, a veterinarian from the Congo
and subsequently by Awoke Kidanemariam in 2005.
Cape and participation in the national Tuberculosis Eradication Scheme which uses field testing of cattle and abattoir surveillance to identify infected herds.
The epidemiology of tuberculosis in the KNP continued to receive attention in collaboration with the Faculty and other role players. New staff members appointed during the first decade of the 21st century included K.C. (Kotsanayi) Katsande, responsible for the feed and food laboratory, M.S. (Mkhevu) Mnisi to assist with general bacteriological diagnostics and research, M.T. (Tiny) Hlokwe for tuberculosis diagnostics and research, and N.S. Mukhufhi for the PCR laboratory established in 2001. The latter was replaced by A. van Zyl in 2006.
“Starting in 2000 her laboratory increasingly became involved in TB vaccination trials which included the establishment of an infection model in buffaloes in a joint effort to find suitable control measures for the disease.”
In 1998 the contract for bacterial vaccine development sponsored by OBP was terminated and therefore also the even-named OVI programme. From this date onwards Bacte- riology basically functioned as a diagnostic laboratory which was accommodated in the building vacated by Veterinary Public Health in 1996. During 1998-2000 there was still a project registered for Herr on the immunity induced by his trichomonosis vaccine and he was still responsible for the diagnosis of infertility and abortion. Both projects terminated when he retired in 2000. Other projects were diagnostics of bacterial diseases (Henton), tuberculosis and Johne’s disease (Michel), and a bovine brucellosis ELISA test (Potts).
Bacteriology
1908-2008
Years