Epidemiology, Health and Welfare Unit (Episabe) of the Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory
Head of Unit: Nicolas Rose
Deputy Head of Unit: Sophie Le Bouquin-Leneveu
The EpiSaBe unit focuses its research activities on the acquisition of knowledge for understanding and managing categorised and non-categorised health hazards in the poultry, swine and rabbit sectors. It also studies zoonotic hazards within these sectors, antibiotic use practices in relation to the emergence of resistance, and ways of improving animal welfare. The unit contributes to the monitoring of regulated or economically significant diseases for the sectors studied.
The Sanivol joint technology unit (UMT)
Created in 2009, the Sanivol UMT results from a partnership between the Technical Institute for Poultry, Fish and Rabbit Farming (ITAVI) and the ANSES Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory (Episabe Unit). Through its research activities, it contributes to optimising the health management of French poultry production. Its multidisciplinary approach is developed in accordance with the principles of "One Health, One Welfare" so as to ensure a holistic approach to animal health and welfare, and human health and welfare, in interaction with the environment. The Sanivol UMT's mandate has been renewed for the period 2020-2025.
Reference activities
The Episabe Unit is involved in the European Reference Centre for animal welfare, coordinated by ANSES.
Surveillance activities
The unit is involved in monitoring diseases and pathogens of importance for the sectors in which it is interested, either by directly running dedicated schemes (epidemiological surveillance networks) or by providing epidemiological expertise.
In particular, the Episabe Unit runs the national network for epidemiological observation in poultry farming (RNOEA), which has been monitoring the epidemiological development of diseases observed on poultry farms in France since 1989. The network operates with the voluntary participation of 75 veterinary members in the field or laboratory (spread over 30 laboratories, nine private practices and five production organisations). Without being exhaustive, the data collected are used to monitor the epidemiological development of poultry diseases, regardless of the poultry production type, to rank them and to detect emerging or re-emerging diseases. The network can therefore alert professionals in the event of a worrying health situation and provide epidemiological data for poultry sector stakeholders and for guiding research projects.
For more information, contact rnoea@anses.fr.
Research activities
The EpiSaBe unit's research activities focus on the study of pathogens (for animal health, veterinary public health) in the environments in which they spread or express their pathogenicity: most often the farm, but also at the successive stages of the production process upstream (animal feed, hatchery) and downstream (slaughter, cutting) of the farm.
Research is also carried out on the influence of livestock farming systems on animal welfare. To this end, work is carried out in the experimental station and in real conditions using more comprehensive approaches that take account of the interactions between health and welfare.
Another area of research focuses on the development of tools and methods (statistics, modelling) tailored to the specific needs of the topics covered.
The unit's main ongoing research projects
OMELETTE (2023-2028)
Optimise and extend hen longevity to expedite the transition to sustainable eggs.
Funding: Interreg North-West Europe programme
The aim of this project is to overcome obstacles to extending the lifespan of laying hens.
> Find out more about the project
RES-IST (2023-2026)
Assessment of the effects of positive emotions on disease resilience in pigs.
Funding: ANSES, Brittany Regional Council in a consortium of private companies via the AgriFood Transition Carnot Institute.
PANDORE (2023-2025)
Analysis of joint developments in surveillance data in Europe (Panel models for surveillance data on resistance).
Funding: EcoAntibio
BROILERNET (2022-2026)
Innovation network for broiler production – Practice and science.
Funding: Horizon Europe programme
MIASE (2022-2025)
Modelling of the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses and consideration of socio-economic factors.
Funding: ANSES and Brittany Regional Council
EBVM (2022-2025)
The "evidence-based medicine" concept applied to veterinary decision-making in organised production: application to the control of PRRS on pig farms.
Funding: ANRT: CIFRE thesis
Projects completed
PIGIE (2021-2024)
Understanding the dynamics and evolution of swine influenza viruses in Europe: relevance for improved intervention and sustainable pig production.
Funding: ANR (ICRAD)
QUALIF'R (2021-2024)
Collection and characterisation of airborne infectious agents in pig and poultry farms.
Funding: Brittany and Pays de la Loire Regional Councils as part of the "Ouesterel" Territorial Innovation Laboratory (LIT), VALORIAL accredited project
SURVRECI (2020-2024)
Monitoring viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) in rabbits and characterising recurrence.
Funding: FranceAgriMer, VALORIAL accredited project
COCORICO (2020-2024)
An integrated approach to health and welfare with the aim of proposing more sustainable farming systems that improve animal welfare and health while reducing the use of antibiotics.
Funding: CASDAR Innovation & Partnership
ASFMOD (2020-2023)
Modelling African swine fever at the wildlife/domestic animal interface.
Funding: Inaporc, Agrenium
PIGAL (2019-2023)
Alternative pig farming: opportunities and risks associated with animal health, welfare and biosecurity.
Funding: FranceAgriMer, Cooperl, Sica-Gouessant, Avril Nutrition, Herta, Zoetis and Inaporc
ADONIS (2020-2022)
Assessing determinants of the non-decreasing incidence of Salmonella.
Funding: European One Health EJP
The aim of this project is to understand the factors behind the stagnation in the number of human cases of salmonellosis in the European Union.
> Find out more about the project
NOVA (2018-2021)
Novel approaches for design and evaluation of cost-effective surveillance across the food chain.
Funding: One Health EJP
This project focuses on the design and assessment of epidemiological surveillance throughout the food chain.
COLISEE (2017-2020)
What are the possible courses of action for controlling avian colibacillosis on broiler farms?
Funding: CASDAR (Special Funds for Agricultural and Rural Development)