Project details
Acronym: POC4AIV
Researcher: Prof. Anders Wolff
Countries: Denmark, Italy, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Turkey – TUBITAK, France,
Organisations:
- Danish Technical University
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie
- Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
- Institute for Food Safety, Animal Health and the Environment “BIOR”
- Estonian University of Life Sciences
- IVBIO Technology Inc.
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES)
- DNA Diagnostic A/S Denmark
Website: poc4aiv.dtu.dk
Project Summary
POC4AIV is a cross-sectoral research project with the aim to prevent zoonotic AIV infections by early diagnosis at the animal-humanenvironment interface.
A fluorescence-based point of care instrument (fPOC) will be developed for the rapid on-site detection of AIV in poultry, wild birds and their environment.
The fPOC for AIV detection is an advanced version of VETPOD, a diagnostic tool validated within the H2020 VIVALDI, that implements a new technology patented by DTU and developed as a proof of concept for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 (H2020 CORONADX).
To detect the target, fPOC will be equipped with a fluorescence-based optical system that guarantees higher sensitivity and results in 15-30 min. In addition, a new sample preparation method based on magnetic beads will be developed by DTU to enhance overall performance. The fPOC will be validated according to the WOAH standards for AIV detection. DTU will provide fPOC systems to IZSVe, ANSES, BIOR, NCU and EMU to test their samples in parallel with approved methods already applied in their laboratories. An implementation study for fPOC deployment will be carried out to provide additional data on its performance in the field. The use of fPOC will also be evaluated as part of well-established diagnostic workflows at IZSVe, as an upstream screening method for subsequent identification of potentially zoonotic viruses by rRT-PCR and NGS. Finally, the possibility to use fPOC to detect AIV in different species/sample types will be explored at IZSVe using saliva specimens from experimentally challenged animals and artificially spiked samples. This will pave the way for wider use of fPOC in AIV susceptible mammals and potential mixing vessels (e.g. swine, mink and human).
The industrial partners (IVBIO, DNAD) will apply for WOAH official approval to use fPOC for AIV screening in wild birds and poultry and will develop roadmaps for industrial production and commercialization of fPOC in the EU and Turkey.