Research & Activities

Specific works conducted by National Zoonoses Food Hygiene and Research Centre under the support of donor agency

Current running project

One Health Epidemiology Fellowship Program Coordinator: Nepal

One Health epidemiology program was launched in Nepal on October, 2014 by National Zoonoses and Food Hygiene Research Center (NZFHRC) as a key contractor and Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries University (AFU) as the subcontractor. This project is funded by the European Union and implemented by Massey University of New Zealand. It is two year program and six fellows were selected from the public health, animal health and wildlife health sectors in Nepal. The contract was signed between Vice Chancellor of Massey University and Executive Chairman of NZFHRC as per predefined roles and responsibilities. As per the guideline, NZFHRC is facilitating OH fellows to provide student friendly academic environment.

The overall objective is to develop a collaborative approach to investigation and control of zoonotic diseases among the human, animal, and wildlife health sectors through education and joint action.

The core of the program is a One Health Epidemiology Fellowship in which participants from the human health, animal health, and wildlife sectors in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan undertake Master’s degree education in epidemiology and bio-security delivered by Massey, and then apply that education in a collaborative framework to conduct applied research and education extension activities using a multi-sectoral One Health approach. The participants will undertake the Fellowship program in their home country within an organizational framework that provides a collegial and collaborative work environment and facilitates in-country supervision of fellowship activities.

The National Zoonoses and Food Hygiene Research Centre has participated in research projects either by its own initiation or in collaboration with other national and international institutions and donor agencies. Present activities include the following:

– Others ongoing research projects

1. Surveillance of Brucellosis in animals in different districts of Nepal. Supported by DDJ Research Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal.

2. Surveillance of Toxoplasmosis in animals in different districts of Nepal. Supported by DDJ Research Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal.

3. Surveillance of Cysticercosis in animals in different districts of Nepal. Supported by DDJ Research Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal.

4. Surveillance of Echinococcosis in animals in different districts of Nepal. Supported DDJ Research Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal.

5. Surveillance of Leptospirosis in animals in different districts of Nepal. Supported by DDJ Research Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal.

6. Focal point office for One Health Alliance for Nepal (OHAN).

7. One Health Epidemiology Fellowship Program Coordinator: Nepal

– Completed Research projects on zoonotic diseases specifically Japanese Encephalitis, Influenza, Leptospirosis, Brucellosis, Cysticercosis, Hydatidosis and Toxoplasmosis

– Environmental Change, Transforming Livelihoods and Disease Emergence in South Asia: Identification and Assessment of Socio-Environmental Risk Settings for Japanese Encephalitis (JE) Transmission and Re-emergence in Nepal: Reducing Vulnerability to the Threats of Japanese Encephalitis Transmission in High Risk Districts in Nepal. (JE Project in 4 districts (Kathmandu, Morang, Rupandehi and Kapilvastu). This project was supported by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada (2011-2014). Implemented by National Zoonoses and Food Hygiene Research Centre and Collaboration with Centre for Coastal Health, British Columba, Canada.

– Strengthening Cross Border Activities among Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Myanmar to control possible Cross Border Spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), OSRO/RAS.&)!/USA May 2010, FAO, ROME. This project is supported by FAO, Nepal.

– Seroprevalence of Leptospirosis in dogs of Kathmandu (February –June 2012).

– TB, Brucellosis and Mastitis disease surveillance in Kathmandu, Kabhre, Chitwan and Mustang and other district of Nepal

– Brucellosis in Dairy Cattle and Buffaloes (1995).

– Status of Brucellosis in Man and Animals in Nepal (1995).

– Brucellosis in milking animals of Chitwan (1998).

– Evidence of human brucellosis in Chitwan (1998).

– Evidence of brucellosis in diary animals in Lalitpur (1998).

– Brucellosis and Tuberculosis field tests in Myagdi and lower mustang (1999).

– Brucellosis in Chauries, Cattle and Buffaloes in Rasuwa, Kathmandu and Karvre districts (2002).

– Evidence of Human and Animal Brucellosis in Surket district (2002).

– Serological evidence of canine Brucellosis in dogs of Kathmandu (2003).

– Sero-prevalence of Brucellosis in pig of Kathmandu (2005).

– Sero-prevalence of Human and Animal Brucellosis in Kathmandu valley (2005-2006).

– Supervision of postgraduate students from T.U. Nepal and Foreign students on Zoonotic diseases and ecosystem health (1993 to till date).

– Impact Assessment and Control of Cysticercosis in the Indian Subcontinent Country: India/Nepal 2006-2010″. Supported by: VLIR Project, Gent University, Belgium with collaboration of Christian Medical College, Department of Neurological Sciences, Vellore, India.

– An Epidemiological Study on Porcine Cysticercosis among Magar Community of Syangja District of Nepal. Supported by International Foundation For Science (IFS), Sweden (2001-2003).

– Socio-Epidemiological Aspect on Porcine Cysticercosis, Intestinal Parasites and Human Epilepsy in Syanga. This project was supported by International Foundation for Science (IFS), Sweden from 2002 to 2004.

– Prevalence of Taenia solium in pigs slaughtered for meat (1998).

– Study of porcine Cysticercosis in Syangja district, Gandaki zone, Western Nepal (2001).

– Prevalence of porcine intestinal parasites in Syangja district (2001)

– Validation of diagnostic techniques for porcine Cysticercosis in Nepal (2004-2005).

– Present situation challenges in treatment and elimination of Taeniasis/Cysticercosis in Nepal (2005).

– Prevalence of Taenia solium Cysticercosis in swine in Kathamandu valley (June to August 2009).

– The seroprevalence of Cysticercosis in children presenting with seizure (2009).

– Cysticercosis seroprevalence of in adults presenting with seizure (2009).

– Socio-epidemiological aspect on porcine Cysticercosis, intestinal parasites and human epilepsy in Syangja during the year 2003.

– Prevalence of taenia solium in pigs and its public health importance of Kirtipur Municipality (2007-2008).

– Prevalence of Taenia solium Cysticercosis in swine and Neurocysticercosis in human in Kathmandu valley and its impact on public health (April-July 2010).

– Impact assessment and control of Cysticercosis in the Indian subcontinent country: India/Nepal 2006-2010.

– Epidemiologyical Pig Sentinel Farms Study Established in Mrigauliya VDC of Morang District and Itahari Municipality (Gaisar – 7) of Sunsari District Nepal (2008)

– Prevalence of Taeniasis/Cysticercosis in the porcine population slaughtered in Kathmandu (2010).

– Prevalence and comparison of carcass examination, lingual examination and EITB for the diagnosis of porcine Cysticercosis in Nepal (2006).

– Cysticercosis/Taeniasis situation in Nepal (2005).

– Prevalence of Cysticercosis in pigs and its impact on public health (2011).

– “Urban Echinococcosis in Health Transition (Nepal)” supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada. This three year research project commenced in December 1992 with the collaboration of the University of Guelph, Canada, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the University of Salford, Salford, England and the Department of Zoology of Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal.

– Urban Echninococcosis in health transition Nepal (1995).

– An ecosystem health approach to Echinococcosis (1997).

– Control of Echinococcosis/Hyatidosis (1998).

– Short report on genotypes of Echinococcus granolosus identified in Nepal using Mitochondrail DNA Markers (2000).

– Prevalence of Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis in water buffaloes of Kirtipur Municipality (2008).

– Prevalence of cystic Echninococcosis/Hydatidosis in slaughtered buffoles of Kathmandu metropolitan city (2009).

– Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis cysts observed in different meat animals slaughtered in Kirtipur municipality of Kathmandu (2010).

– Prevalence of cystic Echinococcosis/Hydatidosis in buffaloes slaughtered in Kathmandu (2011).

– Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women and slaughtered pigs of Chitwan district (2012).

– Completed research projects on other zoonotic diseases

– Rabies Control Project in Dogs in all 35 wards of Kathmandu Metropolitan City of Nepal (2001 to 2002).

– Regional Training on Humane Animal Slaughtering and Meat Inspection Management. This research was conducted in five regional part of Nepal from 2002 to 2003 under the support of Humane Society International (HSI), Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, USA and The Tara Project Australia to develop long range solutions.

– Long Range Solution for Rabies/Slaughtering in Nepal, April 2001 with collaboration and support from Tufts University, USA, Humane Society International, USA, The Tara Project Australia.

– Rabies Surveillance in all 35 Wards of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, September 1999-September 2000 with the support of WSPA UK.

– Rabies Control Project Nepal Implemented from November 2001 to 2008 by National Zoonoses and Food Hygiene Research Centre (NZFHRC). Supported by Donative Unit for Rabies Vaccine to Nepal (DURVN), Tokyo, Japan and Intervet Pharmaceuticals, Holland have been generous in providing fund as well as anti rabies vaccine for rabies control project.

– “Visceral Leishmaniasis Surveillance Project” supported by the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme on Tropical Disease Research (TDR), Geneva, Switzerland in collaboration with Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

– Epidemiological Surveillance Study on Snakes and Snakebite human cases in all terai districts on Nepal during the year 1985 to 1994. This project was financially as well as technically supported by education ministry of Japan Government and the Japan snake institute, Gumma, Tokyo, Japan.

– Alliance Group for Rabies Control in Nepal. Supported by WHO, WSPA and KMC Nepal (2008-2009).

– Completed research projects on hygiene and safety production

– Food Safety Issues and Long-term Rabies Control Project (10 years) Nepal from 1999 till to date supported by World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA), UK, Tufts University USA., Small Animal Practitioner Association Japan.

– Study on “Marketing Status of Milk and Milk Products in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur” supported by Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA) and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

– “Study on slaughter house/abattoir facilities in Nepal” with the Danish Meat Trade College and DANIDA, 1993

– “An Assessment Study of Cheese Factories in Nepal” supported by NDDB and DANIDA, Kathmandu, Nepal.

– “Microbiological Study of Dairy Products in Kathmandu, Nepal” in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal.

– Microbiological study of Dairy products in Nepal, 1995.

– Zoonotic Salmonellosis in Nepal, 1988.

– Food Safety and Hygiene Training workshop report, 2006.

– Hygienic Meat Production, Meat Marketing Management and Meat Borne Diseases Orientation, 2008.

– Meat Quality Food Safety, Safe Drinking Water Supply, Housing and Sewage Plan Training Workshop, 2007.

– Drinking Water Quality Management and Testing Project in Ward 19 and 20 of KMC has been started from January 2001 with the support of IDRC Canada, Ford Foundation USA and Winrock International USA.

– Water Quality and Management in School Health Programme of Kathmandu Valley. Supported by World Vision International Nepal from 2004 to 2005.

– Urban Eco-system Health Project Nepal in Ward 19 & 20 of KMC (1998 to 2009) Supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada.

– Welfare Assessment of Wildlife Animals and Birds in Central Zoo of Kathmandu Nepal. Supported by World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA), UK.