Research and Development

NDDB has established a state-of-the-art R&D Laboratory in Hyderabad which undertakes research and diagnosis on animal diseases with following activities:

I. Bovine disease monitoring:

  • Studies of major sexually transmitted diseases, namely, Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), Bovine brucellosis, Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD), Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis (BGC), Trichomonosis, Bovine Tuberculosis and Johne’s disease (JD).
  • Identification anti-microbial resistance (AMR) in mastitis causing bacteria.
  • Studies of emerging economically important bovine diseases like bovine anaplasmosis and enzootic bovine leucosis.

II. Diagnostics and developmental research:

  • Sample collection and transport: Optimisation of the use of FTA cards and specialised filter paper cards for the transport of bovine clinical samples from field settings.
  • Evaluation of test methods: Evaluation of commercially available standard ELISA tests for the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis and IBR in cattle and buffaloes.
  • Characterisation of infectious agents: Molecular (genotyping, sequence typing and whole genome sequencing) and phenotypic (substrate utilisation) characterisation of predominant mastitis causing bacterial agents, Brucella, Bovine herpesviruses from various geographical locations in India.
  • Candidate vaccine strains: Characterisation of predominant mastitis causing bacteria and selection of candidate vaccine strains for the development of prophylactic vaccine for mastitis.
  • Development of novel and improved diagnostic tests:
    • Duplex qPCR: for simultaneous detection of Brucella and BoHV-1 (IBR) from clinical specimens.
    • A1-A2: Standardised a sequencing based protocol for the confirmation of A1/A2 β-casein genotype in cattle and buffaloes
    • FMD: Development of monoclonal antibody based ELISA for detection of antibodies to Foot-and-Mouth disease virus.
    • Bovine TB: Development of real-time PCR assay for the differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. bovis.
    • Bovine brucellosis: Standardisation of a real-Time PCR assay for the detection of bovine brucellosis
    • Johne’s Disease: Standardisation of a real-Time PCR assay for of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (causative agent of Johne’s disease)

III. Collaborative research:

  • International Collaboration: Evaluation of novel antigens developed by APHA, UK for improved diagnosis of Brucellosis and potential for DIVA when combined with new-age vaccines
  • Mastitis and AMR: Surveillance of mastitis causing bacteria and anti-microbial resistance across geographical regions of India (with State Agricultural / veterinary universities).

IV. Disease diagnosis

  • NDDB R&D laboratory is accredited with the latest quality standards- the ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
  • Participate in proficiency testing (PT) programmes offered international PT providers (OIE recognised reference laboratories).
  • NDDB’s R&D laboratory has been designated by DAH&D as the central reference laboratory for disease screening under NDP-I and for screening of imported animals for diseases endemic to India.
  • Provide animal disease diagnostic facilities to more than 60 agencies across the country for around 19 diseases and, also tests for bacterial quality of semen, sexed semen purity and A1A2 genotyping.
  • The list of diseases and for which tests are done at NDDB,R&D along with other tests is given in Table below:

Details of disease/other screening tests at NDDB R&D