VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, NAMAKKAL

Objectives

Education

• To offer courses for under-graduate, post-graduate and doctoral students

Research

• To provide laboratory facilities and guidance for post- graduate and doctoral students
• Molecular characterization of etiological agents causing respiratory diseases of layers
• Molecular epidemiology of Salmonella of poultry origin and development of rapid diagnostic kit

Extension

• To examine various clinical samples for diagnosis of diseases and to offer advice on their control and prevention
• To impart training to field veterinarians on recent advances in microbiology

Post-Graduate

This department offers a 2-year Master degree programme in Veterinary Microbiology. The programme consists of four semesters including two semesters of course work and two semesters of research work (15 credits), which is evaluated by an external examiner before award of the degree. During the last 15 years, 39 M.V.Sc. students have completed their Masters degree.

• VMC 601 - Bacteriology I (3+1)
• VMC 602 - Bacteriology-II (3+1)
• VMC 603 - Veterinary Mycology (1+1)
• VMC 604 - General Virology (2+1)
• VMC 605 - Systematic Animal Virology (3+1)
• VMC 606 - Principles of Immunology (2+1)
• VMC 607 - Vaccinology (2+0)
• VMC 608 - Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases (1+2)
• VMC 609 - Techniques in Microbiology and Immunology (0+3)
• PGS 604 - Basic Concepts In Laboratory Techniques (0+1)

Ph.D.

The Ph.D. programme consists of two semesters of course work and 50 credits of research work registered over a period of 3-4 years. So far, 9 Ph.D. students have completed.

• VMC 801 - Advanced Bacteriology (2+1)
• VMC 802 - Advances in Mycology (2+1)
• VMC 803 - Bacterial Genetics (2+1)
• VMC 804 - Microbial Toxins (2+1)
• VMC 805 - Molecular Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenesis (2+1)
• VMC 806 - Advances in Virology (2+1)
• VMC 807 - Molecular and Genetic aspects of Viral Pathogenesis (2+1)
• VMC 808 - Structure Function Relationship of DNA and RNA Viruses (3+0)
• VMC 809 - Oncogenic Viruses (2+0)
• VMC 810 - Slow Viral Infections and Prions (2+0)
• VMC 811 - Molecular Immunology (2+1)
• VMC 812 - Advances in Cellular Immunology (2+1)
• VMC 813 - Cytokines and Immunomodulators (2+0)
• VMC 814 - Advances in Vaccinology (2+0)
• VMC 815 - Advances in Immunodiagnostics (1+1)
• VMC 816 - Modern Immunotechnology (1+2)
• VMC 817 - Current topics in Infection and Immunity (3+0)
• VMC 818 - Veterinary Microbial Biotechnology (2+1)

Achievements / Excellence

• Providing laboratory facilities and guidance for post- graduate and doctoral students
• Education – 9 - Ph.D., and 39 - M.V.Sc., students have been completed their post graduate research from this department.
• Forty four M.Sc students completed their research project in this department.
  So far 15 TNSCST sponsored student research schemes have been completed
• Obtained four Dr. B.V.Rao / WPC'96 Research Grants for Ph.D. research projects (Rs.30,000/ each) and Five Dr. B.V.Rao / WPC'96 Research Grants for M.V.Sc. research projects (Rs.20,000/ each)

Research

Completed Research Schemes

On-going Research Schemes

Research Findings

• Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale was isolated for the first time in India and inactivated vaccines were developed.
• Inactivated vaccines were developed for the following poultry diseases namely Infectious Bursal Disease, Fowl cholera, Infectious Coryza, Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Necrotic enteritis.
• Indirect ELISA for assessing immune response for NDV, IB, IBD, Pasteurella multocida, Clostridium perfringens and Necrotic enteritis and Indirect IgA ELISA for assessing mucosal immunity for IB were developed.
• Seroprevalence of Bovine Brucellosis has been confirmed in 12 districts (Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Virudunagar, Madurai, Vellore, Erode, Pudukkottai, Salem, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Trichy) of Tamil Nadu
• Seroprevalence of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis has been confirmed in the above-mentioned 12 districts of Tamil Nadu.
• Seroprevalence of IB, REO and Chicken anaemia in poultry have been confirmed in Namakkal area.
• Alternate to barbitone buffer, Sodium acetate buffer in CIE is standardized for rapid diagnosis of IBD. This buffer is very cheap and easily available when compare to any other buffer in vogue.
• Seroepidemiological survey in the adopted farms in and around Namakkal revealed that there are no antibodies to the virus Egg Drop Syndrome – 1976 (EDS-'76) virus.
• An extensive study was conducted on "Wingrot" a devastating bacterial disease of poultry. The reports revealed that the disease occurrence is highly noticed during the winter months of October, November, December, and January. Staphylococcus aureus could be isolated and this was highly sensitive to Enrofloxacin followed by Ciprofloxacin, Chloramphenical and Gentamicin.
• Study on viruses associated with nephropathy in poultry with special reference to IBV
  Isolation, identification and molecular characterization of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in poultry are carried out and Inactivated vaccines with different adjuvants were developed and immune response was studied.
• Nephropathic IB viruses were isolated from broiler birds.
• Development of different vaccines against necrotic enteritis and assessment of their efficacy.
• Isolation, identification and molecular characterization of respiratory pathogens in layer is being carried out.
• Isolation, identification and molecular characterization of Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum and preparation of coloured antigen were carried out in the department.
• Chicken infectious anaemia – Molecular diagnosis and Serosurveillance work carried out.

Outreach

• Various clinical samples are screened regularly for diagnosis of diseases and to advices are being offered to control and prevention
• Farmers are routinely advised on biosecurity, vaccination schedule, disease prevention and control measures for control and prevention of poultry diseases.
• Clinical materials being received from Department of Clinics, VC & RI and Department of Animal Husbandry are processed and examined. The results are communicated.
• Poultry samples are collected during outbreak of diseases and diagnosis, control and prevention measures are advocated to farmers.
• Giving diagnostic services to the Department of Clinics, VC&RI, Aavin, Dept. of Animal Husbandry and others.
• Participating in disease investigation work for the diagnosis of causative agent as and when required by the Aavin, Dept. of Animal Husbandry and VUTRCs.
• Routinely offering Animal Tissue Culture, Molecular diagnostic techniques training to the Arts & Sciences Colleges
• Guest lectures, Radio talks are being given regularly for the benefit of farmers, students and academicians.
• 21 days training programme on "Molecular Diagnostic techniques" from 25.05.2009 to 14.06.2009
• Training on Animal tissue culture and Embryonated chicken egg inoculation techniques to students from various Arts and Science colleges.
• VCI sponsored CVE training on diagnosis and control of bird flu was given to twenty VAS in two batches.
• Lecture on diagnosis of bacterial diseases of poultry for Ethiopians.
• Participating in the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting of poultry farmers.

Seminar/Symposium Organized

• Organized XVI Annual Convention of Indian Society for Veterinary Immunology and Biotechnology and National Symposium on "Novel biotechnological and immunological interventions in mitigation of climate changes on production and protection of livestock and poultry from 8th April to 10th April 2010.
• International seminar on future of Livestock health: A paradigm chance to maximize productivity for economic gains and XXVI Annual convention of Indian Association of Veterinary Microbiologists, Immunologists and Specialists in infectious diseases (2012)

Current Focus

• Molecular characterization of oncogenic genes, pathotyping and protectotyping of Marek's disease virus.
• Isolation, identification and molecular characterization of infectious laryngotracheitis virus in chicken.
• Isolation, identification and molecular characterization of avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) in chickens
• Assessment of immune response against Newcastle disease oral pellet vaccine in Desi chicken and Turkey

Faculty

• Dr. A.Thangavelu, Professor and Head
• Dr. K.Sukumar, Professor
• Dr. S.Saravanan, Professor
• Dr. P.Suresh, Assistant Professor
• Dr. M.Arthanari Eswaran, Assistant Professor - Working in CRL, Namakkal