Veterinary Laboratories In Kenya - OIE Africa

VETERINARY LABORATORIES
IN KENYA
Dr. J. M. Macharia and
Dr. D.M. Mwangangi

MINISTRY OF LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE
PERMANENT SECRETARY
DIRECTOR OF VETERINARY SERVICES
DIRECTOR OF FISHERIES
DIVISIONS:
TRAINING
ANIMAL
BREEDING
VECTOR
CONTROL
VETERINARY
CLINICAL/FIELD
SERVICES
VETERINARY
LABORATORY
&
REGULATORY
SERVICES
VETERINARY
PUBLIC
HEALTH
SUPPORT
SERVICES
VETERINARY
EXTENSION
EPIDEMIOLOGY
SERVICES
QUALITY CONTROL
SERVICES
RESEARCH/
EXTENSION LIAISON
REGIONAL INVESTIGATION
SERVICES
CENTRAL VETERINARY
LABORATORIES
FMD/VESICULAR
DISEASES
LABORATORY
MARIAKANI
LABORATORY
ELDORET
LABORATORY
KERICHO
LABORATORY
NAKURU
LABORATORY
KARATINA
LABORATORY
GARISSA
LABORATORY
ACAROLOGY
LABORATORY
CHEMISTRY
LABORATORY
LABORATORY
ANIMAL
SERVICES
VIROLOGY
LABORATORY
BACTERIOLOGY
LABORATORY
PARASITOLOGY
LABORATORY
PATHOLOGY
LABORATORY

Laboratory Network
• National referral laboratories
Central Veterinary Laboratories (CVL) Kabete
National Veterinary Quality Control Lab., Embakasi
• Regional laboratories
Nakuru - Serves Southern Rift Valley
Kericho - For Nyanza, Western, Western Rift Valley
Eldoret - Serves Northern Rift Valley
• Has a Satellite lab. at Lodwar
Karatina - Serves Central and Eastern Provinces
• Has a Satellite lab. at Isiolo
Mariakani - Serves Coast Province
• Has 2 satellites at Ukunda and Witu
Garissa - Serves North Eastern Province

S U D A N
Kenya: Laboratory Network
E T H I O P I A
T U R K A N A
M A N D E R A
M A R S A B I T
U G A N D A
M T . E L G O N
B U N G O M A
B U S I A
K A K A M E G A
S I A Y A
H O M A _ B A Y
M I G O R I
K U R I A
W E S T P O K O T
T R A N S - N Z O I A E . M A R A K W E T
V I H I G A
K I S U M U
U A S I N G I S H U
N A N D I
N Y A M I R A
K I S I I
T R A N S - M A R A
K E R I C H O
B O M E T
N A R O K
B A R I N G O
L A I K I P I A
S A M B U R U
N Y A M B E N E
M E R U
T H A R A K A
N Y A N D A R U A
N I T H I
N A K U R U
N Y E R I
K I R I N Y A G A
E M B U
M U R A N G A
M W I N G I
T H I K A
K I A M B U
N A I R O B I
M A C H A K O S
I S I O L O
W A J I R
G A R I S S A
S O M A L I A
M A K U E N I
K I T U I
T A N A R I V E R
K A J I A D O
L A M U
T A N Z A N I A
T A I T A T A V E T A
K I L I F I
N
K W A L E
M O M B A S A

Role of the Laboratories
To safeguard human health, animal health
and productivity as it relates to food
security, safety and trade.
• To undertake prompt disease diagnosis
investigation of outbreaks, quality control
of acaricides, vaccines, drugs, livestock,
food and feed.
• In line with international conventions such
as those of World Organization for Animal
Health (OIE), WHO, Codex, FAO, etc.

CENTRAL VETERINARY
LABORATORIES – KABETE :
Comprises the following laboratories
• Pathology
• Chemistry
• Bacteriology
• Parasitology
• Virology, and
• Acarology

CVL Mandated to:-
• Confirm animal diseases diagnosis
• Disease search and surveillance
• Monitor the effectiveness of vaccination
campaigns
• Quality regulation of veterinary inputs and
outputs
• Certification of exports/imports. - to be free
from diseases, to be acceptable.
• Teaching institution

Organization of diagnosis
Farmers and other
Stakeholders
Veterinary field staff, Private
Practioners, RVILS
Other Institutes and
Countries
NVQCL and KARI’s NVRC
• Vaccine Quality Control
• Virus detection and typing
SEROLOGY
• Infertility diseases, Brucellosis,
Johne’s disease, CCPP, CBPP etc
ACAROLOGY
• Acaricide evaluation
• Tick identification
• Mange identification
BACTERIOLOGY
• Bacterial and fungus
• isolation and typing
• Drug sensitivity tests
• Media and antigen preparation
RECEPTION
HELMINTHOLOGY
• Worm identification
• Worm burden surveys
VIROLOGY
• Isolation of viruses in
tissues culture or animals,
• Serological tests including
ELISA
PATHOLOGY
• Histopathology
• Post mortem
• Microscopy
• Anthrax surveillance
• Clinical work
• Reports dispatch
CHEMISTRY
• Dip strength and milk quality testing
• Toxicological analysis
• Detection of mineral def. diseases
• Drug evaluation

The Reception
Pathology Laboratory
• Reception
• Post-mortem
• Histopathology
• Poultry diseases
• Farm visits/Dse Investigations

Post mortem in progress

Post mortem in progress

Helminthology Laboratory
• Worm Identification
• Egg worm counts
• Worm larvae identification
• Worm egg cultures

Bacteriology Laboratory
• Bacterial isolation and identification
• Mycoplasma isolation
• Serology
• Media preparation
• Antigen preparation
Preparation of antigen for use in bacterial assays

Virology Laboratory
• Virus dse diagnosis
• Egg work section
• Expt. animals section
• Tissue culture section
• Serology
ELISA in Virology Laboratory

ELISA in progress

ELISA
laboratory

Assays in progress

Real time PCR in progress

PCR

PCR work
station

Acarology Laboratory
• Tick and Mange identification
• Acaricide resistance testing
• Acaricide evaluation (acaricide efficacy
trials)

Chemistry Laboratory
• Toxicology lab
• Dip wash testing
• Nutrition lab
• Mineral analysis lab
Assay for pesticides in Chemistry Laboratory

Challenges
• Emerging diseases such as HPAI and
Leptospirosis , ASF and no accompanying
extra funds
• Inadequate notice for lab. tests which are
very expensive, before shipment of
animals destined for export.
– Tests requiring repeat after 21 days not even
repeated

Emergency
preparedness

Achievements in general
• CVL Kabete has continued to play the role of the
Government national referral Veterinary
Investigation Laboratories and also in support of
the Eastern and Central African region’s
diagnostic activities.
• In collaboration with other relevant stakeholders,
CVL has continued to support 2 of the 10 core
functions of the Department of Veterinary
Services, namely,:
– Management and control of animal pests and
diseases;
– Regulatory management and quality assurance of
animals, animal products, by-products and animal
health/production inputs.

Specific achievements
• Facilitating the provision of accessible, costeffective,
prompt, efficient and effective
disease diagnosis and investigations, disease
surveillance, epidemiological surveillance and
vaccine performance monitoring.
• Provision of diagnostic reagents, materials
and kits to both government and private health
institutions for the diagnosis of zoonotic
diseases.
• Providing quality assurance and certification of
animal production inputs, vaccines and other
biologics, drugs, pesticides, feeds, premixes
and livestock products.

Specific achievements
• Facilitating the establishment of an inspection
and compliance system for animal health and
production inputs, animals, animal products
and by products.
• Promoting the use of appropriate, accredited
and validated technologies with potential for
improved and sustained agricultural growth.
• Provision of training to Department of
Veterinary Services staff and students from
universities and tertiary institutions.

Training
Institution

Training Institution

Challenges
• Management Information System (MIS)
– The bulk of information in the Laboratory is
managed manually. This information include
disease reports, annual and quarterly
reports and staff matters.
– Training updates for staff on data processing
and analysis is highly recommended.

Collaborations
• Local collaborators include:
– Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI),
– National Council for Science & Technology (NCST)
– Universities
– Ministry of Health
– International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
– Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)
– Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS)
• International collaborators include:
– European Union (EU)
– International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
– Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright, U.K. Staff internal training – CVL Seminar
– CIRAD-EMVT, Montpellier, France
– African Union – Inter-Africa Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
– Onderstepoort Institute for Exotic Diseases, Republic of South Africa
– Food an Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
– Office International Epizooties (OIE)
– World Health Organisation (WHO)
– World Trade Organisation (WTO)
– International standards Organisation (ISO)
– CISA - INIA Spain
– USDA’s National Veterinary Research Laboratories (NVSL), Ames Iowa, USA
– OIE Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza, Rome Italy
– Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

THANKS