Microbiology Testing Support For Vetlirn

The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS), within the School ofVeterinary Medicine at the University of California ? Davis, is uniquely qualified toparticipate in a cooperative agreement with the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation andResponse Network (Vet-LIRN.) We are the reference diagnostic facility for theCalifornia Department of Food Agriculture as well as an integral component of theveterinary college. We have faculty with a vast array of expertise in infectious disease,zoonotic infection, and food safety diagnostics and interventions. CAHFS faculty andstaff perform over 8700 necropsies and 526,000 diagnostic tests per year. In addition tobeing a Tier 1 facility in the federal Select Agent program, CAHFS participates inseveral partnerships focused on emergency detection and response, including the FoodEmergency Response Network, the CDC Laboratory Response Network, and theNational Animal Health Laboratory Network. As an accredited member of the AmericanAssociation of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD), CAHFS adheres torigorous standards and strict performance monitoring required for certification by thisorganization. The Bacteriology Section at CAHFS utilizes both classical and moleculartechniques to provide rapid and accurate pathogen identification for our stakeholders.Disease detection and infectious agent confirmation are critical components of ourdiagnostic mission. Additionally, our section performs pathogen testing of foods forhuman consumption and technicians are familiar with FDA BAM testing methodologies.Extension and validation of these procedures to animal food and feed products areadditional requirements of our diagnostic mission. All of these competences align withthe Vet-LIRN mission of expanding FDA's oversight of and testing capabilities forveterinary diagnostic samples, leading to an enhanced response to animal food/drugadulteration or contamination. CAHFS participation in this cooperative agreementrelationship will allow the lab to maintain capability and capacity to respond to Vet-LIRNwhen diagnostic testing is needed and to strengthen FDA's food protection systems.