The History of the Institute

In Southern Italy, the first Experimental Station for the study of pathologies and the application of prophylactic strategies for infectious diseases of livestock was established in Naples in 1908 at the behest of the Royal Institute for the Encouragement of Natural Sciences, on the proposal of Prof. Salvatore Baldassare, originally from Foggia, the illustrious Director and Full Professor of Zootechnics at the Royal Higher School of Veterinary Medicine.

The birth of the Foggia detached Section dates back to that period, a choice imposed by the need to have in the Apulian territory a health facility fully involved in the fight against the serious sheeppox epidemic that broke out in Apulia in the years following the First World War. In fact, it is due to this serious health emergency that the General Directorate of Health of the Ministry of the Interior gave a favorable opinion to the Establishment of the Anti-Schiavinic Laboratory (sheeppox was known as "schiavina") of Foggia, as a detached Section of the Experimental Station of Naples with the specific purpose of studying the epidemic and preparing suitable immunizing devices.

Once the emergency was over, the Station expanded its skills, gradually becoming an important diagnostic reference point for the entire region.

It was for this reason that with the Royal Decree of 21/6/1928 n.1836 the transformation of the anti-Schiavinico laboratory into an autonomous Experimental station took place. In 1949 the management of the Station was entrusted to a Government Commissioner with the task of transforming the Institution from a provincial structure into an inter-provincial and inter-regional complex.
In 1952 the Sections of Bari and Campobasso were inaugurated; in 1953 that of Matera and after four years also that of Brindisi and Lecce. The Section of Potenza was inaugurated in 1963. This, initially belonging to the Institute of Naples, then passed under the jurisdiction of Foggia.
The Presidential Decree of 10 February 1956 n. 463 approved the new statute of the Institution changing its name to Istituto Zooprofilattico Salvatore Baldassarre of Foggia. On that occasion the territorial jurisdiction of the Authority was clearly defined for the whole of Puglia, Molise and Basilicata.

In 1970, law no. 503 of 23 June 1970 was enacted. On that occasion, the Institute was renamed the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Puglia and Basilicata with jurisdiction over the territory of Puglia and Basilicata, while the jurisdiction over Molise was transferred to the Zooprophylactic Institute of Teramo.
In 1989, the Diagnostic Section of the Province of Bari was transferred from the capital to Putignano.