The Institute of Virology and Immunology in Switzerland has incorporated the University of Bern's Institute of Veterinary Virology

Move will strengthen skills, research and teaching in animal disease control

The Federal Government in Switzerland and the University of Bern have combined their veterinary expertise to create a new authority for animal health.

The university's Institute of Veterinary Virology has become part of  the Swiss Federal Office of Food Safety and Veterinary Office's Institute of Virology and Immunology ( IVI ).

The announcement over the move, said it would strengthen skills, research and teaching in the fields of animal health and disease control. The two authorities have already worked closely together for a number of years but this is the first time that they have been formally integrated together.

The IVI is the Swiss reference laboratory for diagnosis , monitoring and control of highly infectious animal diseases such as avian influenza , foot-and-mouth disease and swine fever. It also examines the emergence of new diseases in animals and its potential for transmission to humans.

It is led by Prof Volker Thiel ( virology ) and Prof Artur Summerfield ( immunology) – both are members of the university.

For more information about IVI , see www.ivi.admin.ch