From the 19th until the 24th of September, the Health Authorities Representatives and Academic Organisations involved in the eradication of Aujeszky’s disease in China, travelled to Spain as HIPRA’s guests in order to get to know the national fight, control and eradication program for Aujeszky’s disease which has been successfully implemented these last years.

The group was initially welcomed by Luis-José Romero González, Chief of the Epidemiology Area in the Animal Hygiene and Health and Traceability’s General Subdirection of MAPAMA (The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment). The Royal Decrees and the basics of the program were revised in the Ministry’s Delegation, focusing on the importance of vaccination and serological management for the success of eradication.

Following the technical program, the group was introduced to the application of the Royal Decree in Catalonia by Joaquim Xifra Triadú, Livestock General Subdirector of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, and Elena Novell, Technical Director of the official laboratory in the region (GSP).

After that, they were offered a visit to two farms with very different management models, one that was more traditional and the other which was more technical. The veterinarians in charge shared with the group their relationship with the program and their responsibilities inside the farms.

The program ended in HIPRA’s headquarters with a visit to the new R&D facilities and the Biological Production Plant, and with a technical session during which HIPRA experts shared their experiences with vaccination and diagnostic of Aujeszky’s in China, with solutions developed by the company.

With this action, HIPRA shows the success of the Aujeszky’s eradication program in Spain, making it an example to follow by other countries.