The project "Hyperimmunserum (Anti-serum) Production for therapeutic purposes against COVID-19", supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, in cooperation with the Directorate of Etlik Veterinary Control Central Research Institute (Etlik VKMAEM) and the General Directorate of Public Health of the Ministry of Health. Within the scope of Etlik VKMAEM Virology Diagnostic Laboratory, SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus was isolated and studies for mapping the virus with genetic sequencing method were started. The main goal of the project is the immediate development of Antiserum against the SARS-CoV-19 virus, which is the cause of COVID-2 disease.
Scientists continue to work against Covid-19, which has influenced the whole world and our country. Our Ministry, which has more than 100 years of experience in producing antisera, reveals once again that veterinary control institutes and Turkish medical and veterinarians are highly experienced in the development of antisera, which is vital in treatment.
Our Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sec. Bekir PAKDEMİRLİ's wife Dr. The team consisting of medicine and veterinarians, including Ahu PAKDEMİRLİ, has come to an important stage in the works it continues within the scope of Antiserum development project against Covid-19.
Virus isolations were completed with Etlik VKMAEM facilities by collecting positive patient samples with the permission of the Health Sciences University Faculty of Medicine Non-Interventional Ethics Committee and subsequently Ankara Provincial Directorate of Health.
Virus isolation, high production and inactivation procedures were completed in a short time by the expert team in the laboratory with Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3). Now, virus viability checks are being carried out to begin experiments on animals. After the checks, trials will begin on rabbits and horses.
After animal trials, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of Health will cooperate to purify the immunoglobulins obtained in accordance with human use and the antisera obtained will be offered to humanity.
ANTI-SERUM STUDIES WHILE CONTINUING
Etlik VKMAEM does not only work on Anti-serum project. The Wildlife Unit, which was established in Etlik VKMAEM at the beginning of 2020 about the bats shown as a source of transmission in the city of Wuhan where the disease occurred, scans COVID-19 in samples from wildlife.
It is aimed to estimate the real case average in the population by moving from the number of viruses obtained by conducting COVID-19 screening in wastewater samples from Istanbul and Ankara.
Turkey is one of the world's leading countries in terms of natural wealth and the Ministry of treatment for many medical aromatic plants are produced on site. Phytotherapy practices have been going on for many years in Anatolia. Etlik VKMAEM and Health Sciences University is working on the efficacy of some herbal extracts that can be used against COVID-19 and essential oils produced in our Ministry against COVID-19 from a multidisciplinary perspective.
“WE ARE VERY EXPERIENCED AND SUCCESSFUL IN VIRUSES”
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir PAKDEMIRLI said that they are a very important ministry that includes veterinarians. Explaining that virology is the division in veterinary medicine and for this reason, there are a lot of studies about the virus and epidemics, Pakdemirli said, “We have 8 veterinary control institutes connected to our ministry, mainly Etlik and Pendik. We are an institution that has overcome epidemic diseases such as bovine plague and bird flu. We are very experienced and successful in diseases caused by viruses. Our friends work on both vaccine and serum against corona virus. I hope that there will be important developments in the near future, ”he said.
WHO TAKES THE MISSION IN ANTI-SERUM PROJECT?
The entire project team:
Harun SEÇKİN, General Manager of Food and Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry,
Özkan KAYACAN, General Director of Agricultural Research and Policies, General Manager of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Assoc. Dr. Fatih KARA, Ramazan BÜLBÜL, Head of Animal Health Food and Feed Research Department, General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies, Head of Veterinary Health Products and Public Health Department, General Directorate of Food and Control, Mustafa BEBEK, Head of Department of Microbiology Reference Laboratories and Biological Products, General Directorate of Public Health. Dr. Selçuk Kılıç, Director of Etlik VKMAEM Dr. Cevdet Yaralı, Assistant Manager of Etlik VKMAEM Özcan Yıldırım, Responsible of Etlik VKMAEM Virological Diagnostic Laboratory. Sabri Hacıoğlu, Etlik VKMAEM Technical Coordinator Erdem Danyer, Etlik VKMAEM Viral Vaccine Production Laboratory Responsible Dr. Özden Kabaklı and Dr. Elvin Çalışkan, Health Sciences University, Gülhane Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology Lecturer Ahu Pakdemirli and Specialist Meral SARPER, Etlik VKMAEM Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory Officer Dr. Özlem KARDOĞAN, General Directorate of Public Health Microbiology Reference Laboratories and Biological Products Department Specialist Veterinarian Physician Mehmet Ali KANAT and Dr. Metin SERİN, Züleyha ERGÜN from Etlik VKMAEM Viral Vaccine Production Laboratory, Hakan TAŞKAYA, Bora ÜNDAR, Ankara 29 Mayıs State Hospital Chief Physician. Dilek Dülger and Dr. Ümmü Sena SARI, from the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies. Erkan TAÇBAŞ, Vet. Hek. Şahin ÇAKIR,
Dr. General Directorate of Food and Control. Gencay ERGİN, Etlik VKMAEM Experimental Animals Unit Responsible Dr. Ufuk ÜLKER.
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