ZODIAC

The Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC) initiative aims to enhance the preparedness and response capabilities of Member States with regard to zoonotic diseases. By the end of 2023, 128 Member States had designated ZODIAC national laboratories (ZNLs) and 150 had designated ZODIAC national coordinators (ZNCs).

Having the capacity to detect early zoonotic diseases is critical for health and the economy in Bulgaria, as in many countries. ZODIAC has made significant strides since it was launched. With almost 130 ZODIAC national laboratories and the training of their staff, it is one of the largest networks of veterinary laboratories ready to work and cooperate for the prevention of zoonotic diseases.
Prof. Emiliya Ivanova, ZODIAC national coordinator for Bulgaria and Director of Bulgaria’s National Diagnostic and Research Veterinary Medical Institute

In total, 39 ZNLs have been furnished, with Agency support, with state-ofthe-art equipment for serology and molecular diagnostics. Similar equipment is being procured for an additional nine ZNLs. To build and strengthen the capacity of these laboratories, three in-person training courses on the generic verification of standard operating procedures for serology and molecular diagnostics in ZNLs were held in 2023 in Argentina, Bulgaria and the Republic of Korea with the participation of some 70 regional representatives. Moreover, four virtual and two in-person regional workshops were organized to assess the bio-risk management status of ZNLs — the majority of which are officially designated veterinary laboratories — and to identify priority procedures to be developed as standard operating procedures under ZODIAC.

Further training was provided to 25 African Member States through two in-person courses on verification and calibration of biosafety cabinets, and verification and calibration equipment and consumables were procured for 20 African Member States. During a virtual interregional workshop on lessons learned on preparedness and control of avian influenza, experts from reference laboratories shared their expertise and experience with participants from over 60 countries.

In addition, two fellowships on bioinformatics for data treatment and interpretation for whole-genome sequencing were completed by fellows from Senegal and Tunisia. Thirteen additional fellowships on the use of wholegenome sequencing platforms and bioinformatics for data treatment and interpretation are in the pipeline. The Agency’s close collaboration with WHO and FAO has been pivotal for various training courses.

Under a coordinated research project on enhancing laboratory preparedness for the detection and control of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases in Asia and the Pacific, the first research coordination meeting established a detailed work plan with key actions.

Participants in a regional training course on verification of standard operating procedures for new serological and molecular techniques, Republic of Korea, February 2023.

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