Institut für Virologie und Immunologie (Institute of Virology and Immunology)

[Déclaré conformément au formulaire A, partie 2, point (iii)]

2. Organisme ou société, public ou privé, responsable
Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Federal Department of Home Affairs
3. Lieu et adresse postale
Institut für Virologie und Immunologie, Bundesamt für Lebensmittelsicherheit und Veterinärwesen, Eidgenössisches Departement des Innern, Sensemattstrasse 293, CH-3147 Mittelhäusern, Switzerland
4. Source(s) de financement de l’activité, et mention indiquant si l’activité est entièrement ou partiellement financée par le Ministère de la défense

Swiss Confederation (Federal Department of Home Affairs)

5. Nombre d’unités de confinement à haute sécurité5 au centre de recherche et/ou laboratoire, avec indication de leurs dimensions respectives (m2):
ABL 3 Ag , 10.446.00 m2
Of note, BSL3Ag facilities have special features not comparable to standard BSL3 or BSL4 facilities. The shell is considered BSL4, whereas inside the containment area BSL1, BSL2 and BSL3 space is common standard. Personnel enters through a shower barrier and is provided with suitable laboratory clothing for BSL1, 2 and 3 inside the containment area. Personnel has to shower out when leaving the containment area and has to keep a 72h quarantine (no contact to cloven hoofed animals). The IVI fulfills the requirements of the EU Minimum Biorisk Management Standards for Laboratories Working with Foot-And-Mouth Disease Virus. Due to these special features of BSL3Ag facilities, the BSL3Ag area is not limited to laboratory units only, but also includes engineering floors such as effluent treatment plant or ventilation units and animal units, which are all located within the containment area. Therefore, all maintenance work has to be done during operation – the facility has never been shut down so far. This also means that a direct comparison with BSL4 facilities is not practicable. Licenses are as follows: “Quality controls of immuno-biological products for use in applications of veterinary medicine”; “Establishment of a cell-based rapid test to determine protection provided by vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease virus”; “Validation of decontamination by H2O2”; “Diagnostics of viral pathogens causing highly contagious animal diseases“; “Peste des petits ruminants virulence“.
BL 3 , 44.00 m2
BL 2 , 210.00 m2
6. Portée et description générale des activités, y compris notamment le(s) type(s) de micro-organismes et/ou de toxines en cause

The Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI), which is part of the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, is the ISO 17025 accredited institute for the diagnosis, surveillance and control of highly contagious epizootics. In addition, the IVI pursues research both on these viruses and emerging viral diseases, as well as their potential transmission to man. The IVI is also the competent authority issuing the licenses required for the sale of veterinary immunobiological products. Basic research is carried out in the fields of immunology and virology, and involves influenza virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus, classical swine fever virus and porcine circovirus type 2, as well as coronaviruses. The development and diagnostics branches focus on assays and tests for classical and african swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza, bluetongue, and other highly contagious infectious diseases. In this domain, the IVI occupies a leading position internationally.

For further information please visit:
https://www.ivi.admin.ch/ivi/en/home.html

(4) Pour les installations pourvues d’unités de confinement à haute sécurité participant au programme national de recherche‑développement en matière de défense biologique, prière d’indiquer le nom de l’installation et de préciser «Déclarée conformément à la Formule A, partie 2 iii)».

(5) Conformément à la dernière version du Manuel de sécurité biologique en laboratoire de l’OMS ou d’une norme équivalente.