Institute of Microbiology and Virology

LSMU VA VF Institute of Microbiology and Virology (hereinafter the Institute) was established on 15 March 2013 by the LSMU Senate resolution No. 28-04. The Senate of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, in accordance with the Statute of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Zin., 2010, No. 81-4231) section 37 subsection 2 of the  Regulations, merged the Veterinary Institute of the Veterinary Academy of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences with the Department of Microbiology of the Faculty of Medicine of the Medical Academy by establishing the Institute of Microbiology and Virology in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which would include laboratories for virological research and microbiological research.

The history of the Microbiology Department of the Faculty of Medicine dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Because in 1922 the Department of Hygiene-Bacteriology was established at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lithuania. Medical microbiology studies were conducted in the department, and medical microbiology specialists were trained. In addition to pedagogical work, there was scientific work as well – treatment and technical innovations created in the department: agaromicroelectrophoresis for the study of protein fractions, differential diagnosis of urological diseases, methods of prevention of purulent postoperative complications, 5 recommendations for doctors were prepared and published. Researchers of the department wrote and published 4 monographs: “Dysentery and the fight against it in the Lithuanian TSR” – V.Girdzijauskas, D.Vikonytė-Vasiljevienė, 1964, “Handbook of the practice of medical microbiology” – V.Girdzijauskas, D.Vikonytė-Vasiljevienė, V.Kantauskas, H.Borisevičienė, 1961, “Treatment of children’s diseases with antibacterial preparations” – A. Raugalė, H. Mituzas, V. Vaičiuvėnas, 1983, “AIDS” – J. Dievaitienė, S. Čaplinskas, V. Vaičiuvėnas, 1991.

Textbooks and teaching aids have also been prepared and published: V. Girdziauskas, D. Vikonytė-Vasiljeviene 1976 – “Microbiology”, A. Svičiulis, B. Tilindis, V. Vaičiuvėnas 1989 – “Immunology”; A.Pavilonis, A.Lasinskaitė-Čerkašina, V.Vaičiuvėnas, L.Akramas 2000 – “Fundamentals of medical microbiology”; D. Adomaitytė, N. Janulevičiūtė, R. Kazakevičius, V. Vaičiuvėnas 2001 – “Introduction to clinical immunology”; A.Lasinskaitė-Čerkašina, A.Pavilonis, V.Vaičiuvėnas 2003 and in 2005 (second supplemented edition) – “Fundamentals of medical microbiology and virology”; A.Pavilonis in 2005 – “Clinical microbiology”; A.Pavilonis, A.Lasinskaitė-Čerkašina, V.Vaičiuvėnas 2007 – “Diagnostic Microbiology”. Methodological tools for students of the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Odontology “Methodology of laboratory work in microbiology, virology and immunology” Part I and II (2000, 2002) were prepared and published.

The Lithuanian Veterinary Institute was founded on 1 September 1960. The Institute’s research tasks were formed taking into account the spread of animal diseases and the losses caused by those diseases in Lithuania. Problems of epizootiology, etiology, and prevention of animal diseases were constantly explored; research was carried out in the field of development of diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic measures for diseases of agricultural animals and birds. On the basis of research, the researchers of the institute wrote more than 970 scientific articles, 9 monographs, solved 160 scientific problems and tasks, and studied 35 scientific topics together with other institutes. During this period, more than 70 recommendations for the treatment and prevention of animal, bird and pond fish epizootiology and non-communicable diseases were developed and implemented. Between 1979 and 2004, when the Department of Veterinary Preparations was established and operated, the institute’s researchers developed over 40 original and effective veterinary preparations. Since 1960, the employees of the Veterinary Institute have prepared and defended 67 doctoral theses and 7 habilitation doctoral theses. Permanent and part-time post-graduate courses were constantly operating at the institute, and after Lithuania regained its independence, a doctoral course was established (together with the Lithuanian Veterinary Academy).

The Institute participates in the activities of Animal Health and Animal Raw Materials Quality research at the integrated science, study and business centre – Nemunas. The activity is focused on the R&D areas of epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, treatment and prevention of animal infectious diseases, aiming to create high-quality, safer and healthier animal food raw materials.

International projects

• International EU project COST No. FA0805 “Goat-parasite interactions: from knowledge to control (CAPARA). Coordinator in Lithuania: S. Petkevičius
• Network on Veterinary Parasitology in the Nordic and Baltic Region (NVP) Nordforsk. Coordinator in Lithuania: S.Petkevičius
• The Control of Porcine Circovirus Diseases (PCVDs): Towards Improved Food Quality and Safety. Coordinator: V. Sereika.

Other projects

• Development and use of new generation tools for the diagnosis and specific prevention of viral infections in veterinary medicine, 2013-2015, R&D project No. VP1-3.1-ŠMM-10-V-02-017 (with Vilnius University). Supervisor: Dr. V. Sereika+8 employees.
• Antimicrobial proteins as an alternative to antibiotics for the animal health market 2012-2013. “NOMADS”. Supervisor: Dr. M. Virgailis 
• Prevalence of determinants encoding antibiotic resistance in poultry. Research Council of Lithuania SVE 05/2014. National research programme “Healthy and safe food”. Supervisor: Dr. M. Ružauskas
• Studies of bacterial genetic determinants encoding drug resistance in companion animals. Research Council of Lithuania MIP 061/2012-2014. Supervisor: Dr. M. Ružauskas
• Studies of genetic determinants of antibiotic resistance of plasma non-coagulant staphylococci species. Research Council of Lithuania. MIP 075/2013-2015, 349,700.00 LTL. Supervisor: Prof. A. Pavilonis+6 employees
• Synthesis of Schmallenberg virus proteins and their use for the development of diagnostic tools (with the Institute of Biotechnology), Research Council of Lithuania. 2013-2014. Supervisor: Dr. V. Sereika (2 employees)
• Nanokompozitinių dangų taikymas inovatyvių antimikrobinių dangų ir optinių biojutiklių kūrimui. Jungtinis LSMU ir KTU projektas. Remia LSMU. 2014.
• Research on the use of plant extracts and their fractions for the inhibition and control of environmental viruses in animals. No. MIP-065/2015 (2015-2018) (LSMU, VDU), (1 employee)
• The impact of intensive farming on the emergence, persistence and spread of bacteria resistant to antibiotics and biocides in soil and water (National Research Programme, LMT, 2015-2018; SIT-6/2015). Supervisor: Dr. M. Ružauskas + 6 employees
• Evaluation of the antimicrobial effect of the “X001” product and its components” Open access service provision agreement No. PR16-79 (2017). Prof. A. Pavilonis
• Analysis of epidemiologic and laboratory studies of African swine fever (ASF), disease spread forecast, risk analysis and disease management strategy in wild fauna and pig farms in the Republic of Lithuania” No. MT-17-8, 06/23/2017 (2017-2019) LSMU together with NMVRVI and the Agricultural and Forestry Science Centre (1 employee)
• Development of eubiotically multifunctional nutraceuticals (EUNUTRITECH).” (Projects carried out by high-level research groups (SMART)). 2017-2020, (LSMU) (1 employee)
• Мониторинг антибиотикорезистентности возбудителей энтеропатогенных зооантропонозных заболеваний Северного региона Казахстана. (Grant funding for scientific and (or) scientific and technical research for 2018-2020, (1 employee; contract at the signing stage)
• Efficacy of Ceftazidin/Avibactam and Polymyxin B in the Treatment of Experimental pneumonia in Immunocompromised and Immunocompetent Rabbits (2017-2020), under contract No. BN17-213 LSMU and Cornell University (USA) (2 employees)