IVI

Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis

The Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis (IVI) is the national reference laboratory for highly contagious animal diseases, and is concerned with the diagnosis, surveillance and control of diseases such as avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease or classical swine fever. The IVI is the only Swiss laboratory, which can deal with highly infectious animal diseases. For this, the laboratories and animal premises are at the biosafety level 4 (BSL4) with respect to the protection of the environment. The laboratory facilities include a BL3+ laboratory for working with zoonotic viral diseases transmissible to human such as H5N1 AIV. Animal facilities including a pig and chicken breeding unit and biosafety equipment for H5N1 in vivo experimentation with chicken and pigs are available. The laboratories infrastructure includes state-of-the art equipment for research in immunology, cell biology and molecular biology.

Five recent relevant publications:

1. Guzylack-Piriou L., Bergamin F., Gerber M., Mc McCullough K.C., Summerfield A. 2006. Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell activation by Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus requires Immune Complexes. Eur. J. Immunol. In press
2. Summerfield A, Alves M, Ruggli N, de Bruin MG, McCullough KC. 2006. High interferon-alpha responses associated with depletion of lymphocytes and natural interferon producing cells during classical swine fever. J Interferon Cytokine Res.2006, in press
3. Bauhofer O, Summerfield A, McCullough KC, Ruggli N. 2005. Role of double-stranded RNA and N(pro) of classical swine fever virus in the activation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Virology 343: 93.
4. Balmelli C, Vincent IE, Rau H, Guzylack-Piriou L, McCullough K, Summerfield A. 2005. FcgammaRII-dependent sensitisation of natural interferon-producing cells for viral infection and interferon-alpha responses. Eur.J.Immunol. 35: 2406.
5. Vincent I.E., Carrasco C.P., Guzylack-Piriou L., Herrmann B., McNeilly F., Allan G.M., Summerfield A., McCullough K.C. 2005. Circovirus type 2 silences plasmacytoid dendritic cells without influence on myeloid dendritic cell function. Immunology 115: 388.

• Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis