In the first half of the  20th  century with the progressive orientation of Zoo-technology towards more intensive breeding, an increase in the number of herds and commercial exchanges, it became important to control infectious diseases in animals. The agricultural and zoo-technical evolution towards greater productivity in breeding animals resulted in a change in veterinarian practice; from the care of single animals to the health control of entire herds. It became necessary to have confidence in the  diagnostic methods and safe immunogenic products. In this atmosphere, the first Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali (IZSs) were founded as research centres for domestic animal infectious diseases.
The idea of founding an Istituto Zooprofilattico in Palermo was first thought of in 1920 by the Sicilian Breeders Association and general direction of public health.
The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Sicily, named at the beginning Stazione Zooprofilattica Sperimentale of Sicily,  was opened in 1930 and represented a reference point for the control and eradication of infectious animal diseases for the whole  zoo-technical population in the region.
Its first Director, Prof. Adelmo Mirri, was deeply involved in diagnosis and  giving assistance to the Sicilian zoo-technical population. Under his direction a great deal of help was given to the campaign for prophylaxis against anthrax and brucella  with specific vaccines; Mirri Brucella antigen was used for many years for the diagnosis of brucellosis over the whole national territory. During World War II, a human case of small pox appeared and the Institute started to produce a specific vaccine against it. 18 million doses of live effective attenuated vaccines were produced and successfully administered to the whole human population in Southern Italy. 

Prof. Mirri, with his continuous studies and research on infectious animal diseases present in the Sicilian territory, collaborated with all national and international  health institutions.  He started annual training and refresher courses in 1931 for veterinarians.
The aims of the Institute, which worked in collaboration with provincial veterinarians in the interest of all breeders, are so described in a document from 1932 .

It is actively involved in campaigns to inform breeders of practical procedures against contagious animal diseases to collaborate in fighting against these diseases.
Originally the Institute had 10 buildings; 3 used as laboratories, offices and personnel accomodation, 6 used for animal shelters and the last one used as a dung-hill and water reserve.
In the central building the serology, histology and chemical laboratories, two laboratories for bacteriology and one laboratory used as a vaccine dispenser and distribution point were located. In the same building a room was reserved for cultural media preparation, the washing and sterilization of all tools, and a small pharmacy room where the scales were located.
Another building had a big hall for blood transfusions with an antechamber for blood preparation, a autopsy hall and an independent room for the sterilization of pathological equipment. Two animal shelters were present, one for healthy animals to take sera and the other one for sick animals under observation.
In subsequent years, work at the Institute  became wider because disease control was done not only on productive breeding animals but also on pets and zoonosis (rabies, leptospirosis, leishmaniosis, toxoplasmosis) .