Highlights

Gaute Lenvik (46) has been appointed the new managing director at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute. Lenvik took over the position on February 1st.  He comes from the position as director of analysis and politics in Food Drink Norway at the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprises (NHO).

The emergence of livestock associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (LA-MRSA) aureus has in many parts of Europe and the world made farm animals a reservoir for transmission to other farms and humans. When LA-MRSA recently emerged in the Norwegian pig population, this prompted a coordinated national strategy aimed at preventing the pig population becoming a persistent domestic LA-MRSA reservoir with risk of further dissemination to the human population.

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has diagnosed Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in two moose (Alces alces) in Norway. This is the first detection of CWD in moose in Europe. The disease, well known in North America, was detected for the first time in Europe in a wild Norwegian reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in April 2016. 

The abstract deadline is postponed to May 30. We hope this will encourage even more people to submit their oral and/or poster contribution.

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has diagnosed Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a free-ranging reindeer from the Nordfjella population in South-Norway. CWD is a lethal disease in cervids. The disease is well known in North America; however this is the first detection of CWD in Europe. Also, this is the first detection of natural infection in reindeer worldwide. This news includes a video with expert interviews. 

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has published a special report at the web site Pan European Networks, substantiating an extremely low consumption of antibacterial agents for farmed fish in Norwegian aquaculture. 

Representatives from the National Veterinary Institute has been in Brazil in connection with the institute’s cooperation with RENAQUA (National Network of Laboratories of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture). The aim of the project is to increase competence in fish diagnostics in the state laboratories in Brazil.

The theme of the World Food Day 2014 is family farming with the slogan “feeding the world, caring for the earth”, to draw the attention to the importance of small scale agriculture as an important contributor to the overall food security of the world and a sustainable food production. Through the project Veg-i-Trade the Norwegian Veterinary Institute has been contributing to create an arena for stakeholders in the global food chain to raise discussions and awareness about challenges with global trade and food sovereignty.

A new disease is described in freshwater rainbow trout in Norway. A new virus is detected in diseased fish, but not yet confirmed as the causal agent of the disease.

The book “Fish vaccination” published by Wiley Blackwell has recently been placed on the market. The 30 chapters have been written by leading scientists in the field. Roar Gudding and Atle Lillehaug from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute and Øystein Evensen from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences are editors and chapter authors.