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Objectives, 2008/2009: <BR>Diagnostics. In conjunction with the NAHLN, the UVDL will offer diagnostic assays for avian influenza, bluetongue, brucellosis, classic swine fever, chronic wasting disease, equine infectious anemia, exotic Newcastle disease, foot and mouth disease, Johnes disease, pseudorabies virus, scrapie, vesicular stomatitis and West Nile virus. <BR><BR>Training and Education. All pathologists and veterinary diagnosticians at the UVDL have completed the foreign animal disease course at Plum Island, NY. Hence, training will consist of attendance and participation in the annual conferences of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) and the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP). <BR><BR>IT and Data Management. The UVDL is switching to VADDS as its laboratory information management system, and is scheduled to go live on 01 September 2008. Communication with the NAHLN IT system is a part of the VADDS program. <BR><BR>Public Relations. Personnel at the UVDL work closely with the state veterinarian and the USDA-APHIS area veterinarian in charge. Interface with research. Personnel at the UVDL collaborate with full time researchers in the USU Institute on Antiviral Research on avian influenza and West Nile virus projects. In addition, one UVDL faculty member has a primary research project on avian influenza virus. <BR><BR>Governance. The UVDL is a cooperative effort between Utah State University (USU) and Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. While supervisory lines go through USU, laboratory personnel are responsive to, and enjoy excellent working relationships with, individuals in the state veterinarians and USDA/APHIS area veterinarian in charges respective offices. <P>Outputs for 2007/2008: <BR> As part of the NAHLN, assays performed by UVDL personnel in 2007/2008 are: (1) Avian influenza = 2,856; (2) Bluetongue = 67; (3) Brucella abortus = 70,419; (4) Brucella suis = 67; (5) Chronic Wasting Disease = 3,244; (6) Equine infectious anemia = 7,428; (7) Exotic Newcastle disease = 347; (8) Johnes disease = 896; Pseudorabies virus = 3,153; Scrapie = 4,303; and West Nile virus = 5,220. <P>
Training and education, 2007/2008: <BR>Dr. E. Jane Kelly, the veterinary diagnostician that oversees the UVDL branch laboratory (Nephi, UT), completed the foreign animal disease course offered by USDA-APHIS at Plum Island, NY. Proficiency tests in avian influenza, brucellosis, equine infectious anemia, Johnes disease and pseudorabies were completed.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UVDL) acts within the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) as a frontline defense against the introduction of animal diseases foreign to the U.S. by providing testing for avian influenza, bluetongue, brucellosis, classic swine fever, chronic wasting disease, equine infectious anemia, exotic Newcastle disease, foot and mouth disease, Johne's disease, pseudorabies virus, scrapie, vesicular stomatitis and West Nile virus. In 2007, approximately 98,000 assays for these agents were performed. The UVDL has both laboratory resources and personnel to continue this testing effort through 2008 - 2009. Veterinary pathologists and diagnosticians at the UVDL have completed the Pathologists Foreign Animal Disease School offered at Plum Island, NY and all laboratory technicians are current in proficiency testing. All testing is done using NAHLN approved protocols, on state of the art equipment including three high-throughput real-time PCR machines, robotic nucleic acid extraction and on-site nucleic acid sequencing. Efforts to establish communication of assay results directly to the NAHLN information technology group are nearly complete. The UVDL is moving to the VADDS laboratory information management system, which communicates with NAHLN IT systems.
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APPROACH: Where available, methodologies from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) will be utilized by technicians that have passed the requisite proficiency tests. Otherwise, commercially available, USDA licensed assays will be used and in place quality assurance quality control (QA/QC) programs followed. All assays will be run on state of the art equipment: the UVDL has three high-throughput real-time PCR machines, robotic nucleic acid extraction and on-site nucleic acid sequencing. In addition, two robotic immunohistochemical stainers are in use.