March 6, 2006

At a press conference this morning at the National Animal Health Institute in Bucharest, U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Taubman and Minister of Agriculture Gheorghe Flutur announced an additional contribution of equipment to help in the fight against avian influenza.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided two SmartCycler PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing systems to the Ministry of Agriculture, along with test kits and other necessary supplies. One PCR has been installed in the National Animal Health Institute lab in Bucharest. The other has been installed in the regional lab in Tulcea, an area at high risk for outbreak due to its location on the Danube Delta.

Previous testing technology required at least one day to produce results. The new SmartCycler PCRs yield more accurate results in just a few hours. USDA also provided training at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, USA, for the National Animal Health Institute technicians who use the SmartCycler PCR system.

The new equipment will help the National Animal Health Institute qualify for official accreditation from OIE (Office International des Epizooties – World Animal Health Organization), the highest recognition in the field.

“Our two governments will continue to work together to contain the virus, and to prepare for a possible pandemic that is being discussed by scientists and health professionals worldwide,” Ambassador Taubman said.

The Ambassador emphasized that avian influenza is a bird disease, not a human disease. “Thanks to the prompt and effective actions taken by the Government of Romania, there have not been any cases of human infection with the H5N1 virus in Romania,” he said. “The new testing systems will help Romanian authorities detect the virus very quickly, which will help them keep it from spreading among birds and protect Romanian citizens.”

To date, the total value of the U.S. Government has contributed $1,250,000 to help Romania fight avian flu.

For more information about avian influenza, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/.

For more information about the SmartCycler PCR testing systems, contact:

Carmen Podani
USAID Project Management Specialist
Tel. 021 316 1222

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6 Martie 2006

STATELE UNITE RIDICA VALOAREA ASISTENTEI FINANCIARE ACORDATA ROMANIEI PENTRU COMBATEREA GRIPEI AVIARE LA SUMA DE 1,25 MILIOANE USD

In cadrul unei conferinte de presa care a avut loc in aceasta dimineata la Institutul de Diagnostic si Sanatate Animala din Bucuresti, Ambasadorul Statelor Unite, Nicholas Taubman, si Ministrul Agriculturii, Gheorghe Flutur, au anuntat suplimentarea asistentei acordate pentru combaterea gripei aviare odata cu donarea unor noi echipamente.

Departamentul de Agricultura al Statelor Unite (USDA) a oferit Ministerului Agriculturii doua sisteme de testare SmartCycler PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), precum si truse de testare si alte articole necesare. Un astfel de sistem a fost instalat in laboratorul Institutului de Diagnostic si Sanatate Animala din Bucuresti; al doilea sistem a fost instalat in laboratorul regional de la Tulcea, zona in care riscul aparitiei focarelor de gripa aviara este mare, data fiind vecinatatea Deltei Dunarii.

Tehnologia de testare utilizata pana acum necesita cel putin o zi pentru aflarea rezultatelor. Noile sisteme SmartCycler PCRs ofera rezultate cu un grad mai mare de precizie, in doar cateva ore. De asemenea, USDA a organizat cursuri de pregatire la Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, SUA, pentru tehnicienii Institutului de Diagnostic si Sanatate Animala care folosesc sistemul SmartCycler PCR.

Noul echipament va ajuta Institutul de Diagnostic si Sanatate Animala sa se califice pentru obtinerea acreditarii oficiale din partea OIE (Oficiul International al Epizootiilor – Organizatia Mondiala a Sanatatii Animale), cea mai inalta recunoastere din domeniu.

“Guvernele noastre vor continua sa conlucreze in vederea combaterii virusului si in vederea pregatirii pentru o posibila pandemie despre care discuta, in prezent, oamenii de stiinta si specialistii in domeniul sanatatii din intreaga lume”, a declarat Ambasadorul Nicholas Taubman.

Dl. Taubman a accentuat faptul ca gripa aviara este o boala a pasarilor, nicidecum una a oamenilor. “Datorita masurilor rapide si eficiente luate de Guvernul Romaniei, nu exista nici un caz de imbolnavire cu virusul H5N1 la om”, a adaugat Taubman. “Noile sisteme de testare vor ajuta autoritatile romane sa depisteze virusul rapid, ceea ce va contribui la prevenirea raspandirii in randul pasarilor si la protejarea cetatenilor romani.”

Pana in prezent, valoarea totala a asistentei acordata Romaniei de catre Guvernul Statelor Unite pentru combatere raspandirii gripei aviare se ridica la 1.250.000 USD.

Pentru informatii suplimentare referitoare la gripa aviara, vizitati site-ul http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/.

Pentru informatii suplimentare referitoare la sistemele de testare SmartCycler PCR, persoana de contact este

Carmen Podani,
USAID,
tel. 021 316 1222

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