The Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA) is the animal health research program of the Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), a public company of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia (Spain). CReSA is located at the campus of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), working in a new and technologically advanced building with conventional laboratories as well as biocontainment with level-3 biosecurity (BSL3) laboratories and animal facilities. The mission of CReSA is to contribute to the advancement of scientific and technical knowledge on animal health by means of research, knowledge transfer and services to public and private bodies. The long term objective is to globally improve all aspects of animal health that influence the agri-food sector and public health. CReSA researchers’ expertise includes pathology, immunology, bacteriology, virology, entomology, epidemiology and molecular biology, as well as disease animal models. Viral research is focused on endemic and exotic viruses affecting mainly livestock (swine, ruminants and poultry) and occasionally wildlife. Zoonotic viruses including animal influenza viruses, West Nile virus, Rift Valley fever virus and MERS-coronavirus are nowadays significant poles of research.