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<OL> <LI> Diagnostic testing and quality systems<BR> The technical staff positions that are funded through the NAHLN grant will continue to maintain and enhance disease response capability by: <ul> <LI> Testing of diagnostic/surveillance samples received. <LI>Continuous in-house training on real-time PCR. <LI>Attending additional training sessions as they become available. <LI> Participation in all available NAHLN proficiency tests. <LI>Maintaining and enhancing the quality control/quality assurance system to ensure high- quality diagnostic results. <LI>Participation in 2009 AAVLD quality assurance seminars (2 Directors and 2 QA/QC staff). <LI>The two laboratory Directors will continue to participate in NAHLN activities through the AAVLD and represent the laboratories within the NAHLN Methods Technical Working Group. <LI>The Tifton laboratory quality manager will attend a biosafety and biosecurity training class at the Centers for Disease Control in May 2009. <LI>The Tifton laboratory plans to obtain additional samples from small local slaughterhouses, local swine farms and feral swine for additional CSF surveillance testing.
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<LI>Information Technology and Data Management <BR> The IT Application Analyst will continue to be a liaison with NAHLN IT and IT specialists from other NAHLN laboratories on matters regarding proper coding and data transfer to NAHLN. The IT group at both Georgia laboratories will continue to participate in the monthly teleconferences and NAHLN quarterly IT meetings with the NAHLN laboratory group. The Tifton laboratory information system will be converted from VETLIMS to UVIS on July 1, 2009, which will allow rapid and direct transfer of results to NAHLN messaging systems. <LI>Infrastructure Renovations are required in the TVDIL to upgrade BSL-3 facilities up to University specifications. Architectural design is currently in progress for enhancement of HEPA filtration and should be complete in summer 2009. NAHLN funding will be partially used in planning for the renovations.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory are active in disease surveillance, employee training and proficiency testing involving all specific animal diseases of importance to the NAHLN. Other livestock and pet animal diseases are monitored by routine accessions submitted to the diagnostic laboratories. A secure communications network within Georgia and NAHLN IT services is maintained so that veterinary diagnostic data is shared with state and federal authorities. In the past five years, laboratory staff have successfully completed all NAHLN and USDA proficiency tests and received additional training through various in-house training programs, attending regional or national meetings, and participating in short courses. Upgrades for biosafety labs to more current University regulations are being planned. NAHLN funding was partially used in the procurement of an alkaline tissue digester for environmentally safe disposal of animal material and the equipment is expected to be installed by December 2009. Computer specialists provide IT support in the transmission of records between and within the system. The directors, faculty and staff participate in statewide programs to disseminate information about disease outbreak preparedness for foreign animal diseases, agro-terrorism and food emergency response. Faculty members are involved with NAHLN working groups and in the review and establishment of AAVLD accreditation requirements. In the past five years, the Georgia laboratories have continued to develop their capabilities to respond appropriately to a severe disease outbreak. Continual funding will give the University of Georgia, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories the capacity to continue to detect and respond to serious disease threats including avian influenza, Newcastle disease, foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, swine influenza, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). <P>
APPROACH: The University of Georgia (UGA) Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) system is one of the original 12 core laboratories in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) and includes two laboratories: Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (AVDL) and Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory (TVDIL). The role of the Georgia VDLs in the NAHLN is to enhance the ability of the federal laboratory system to respond quickly to foreign animal disease threats. Over the last several years the Georgia laboratories have continued to develop their capabilities to respond appropriately to a severe disease outbreak. All sections in both laboratories have passed all available proficiency tests for NAHLN and other USDA program diseases (foot and mouth disease (FMD), classical swine fever, avian influenza, Newcastle disease (END), BSE, scrapie, Johne's disease, EIA and CWD on multiple animal species) in their specific disciplines and collectively have 13 proficiency tested technicians. Both laboratories participate in state and national surveillance programs for avian influenza and classical swine fever. NAHLN funding in previous years has enabled us to build our capacity to rapidly and adequately respond to severe disease outbreaks. Accomplishment reports for all years have been provided in various CRIS reports and annual renewal proposals. Continual funding will allow the Georgia laboratories to maintain capacity to detect and respond to serious disease threats and to enhance diagnostic and surveillance repertoire as validated methods and tests are developed. The Georgia laboratories have pioneered efforts in disease reporting to state and federal authorities using Rhapsody software and UVIS allowing transmission of data directly from our laboratory information systems (thus minimizing human error in this important activity).