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The Murray State University Breathitt Veterinary Center (BVC) is a member laboratory of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). The BVC is certified for Avian Influenza, Exotic Newcastle Disease, Foot and Mouth Disease, and Classical Swine Fever. The BVC currently provides Avian Influenza surveillance for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, USDA Wildlife Services, and the Kentucky poultry industry. The BVC performs Classical Swine Fever testing on Illinois slaughter surveillance samples. USDA CSREES funding is critical to meeting NAHLN goals and objectives and the BVCs participation in NAHLN activities. Funds in the FY 2008 cooperative agreement will be used to support NAHLN Diagnostics, Training and Education, and IT and Data Management.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: FY 2008 NAHLN Cooperative Agreement NAHLN Output 1: Diagnostics Funds allocated for Diagnostics will be use to support equipment and software maintenance contracts. The BVC is equipped with six SmartCyclers and one controller laptop computer used for Avian Influenza and Classical Swine Fever surveillance testing. Each SmartCycler block will be submitted for factory preventative maintenance and calibration to insure accuracy of test results. Software maintenance contracts will be secured for programs associated with data backup, instrument interfaces, and laboratory information management (LIMS). Any remaining funds in this grant allocation after other items have been secured will be used to purchase laboratory consumables and supplies related to Avian Influenza and Classical Swine Fever surveillance testing. Included in this allocation is the NVSL NAHLN Avian Influenza proficiency test. NAHLN Output 2: Training and Education Grant funds will provide training and education opportunities for three BVC employees to attend the AAVLD annual conference to be held in Greensboro, NC, in October, 2008. Dr. Ramesh Gupta, Head of Toxicology, is a member of the NAHLN Toxicology Working Group and will represent the BVC at the AAVLD Toxicology Committee. Dr. Shri Singh, Head of Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics, will attend presentations and committee meetings relevant to NAHLN and bioterrorism surveillance activities. Dr. Wade Northington, Director, will attend the preconference NAHLN Symposium on Laboratory Emergency Response and will chair the AAVLD Laboratory Emergency Response Committee meeting. NAHLN Output 3: IT and Data Management Two servers will be purchased to provide database and application support for USALIMS, as well as processing NAHLN messaging from USALIMS. These servers will replaced outdated equipment incapable of running USALIMS in a production environment. Software upgrades to support data and information management will be purchased. Microsoft SharePoint supports the BVC Quality Management System; Microsoft Visio, Project, and Visual Studio are used to develop training materials for employees, presentations for veterinary and livestock producer groups, and to prepare visual representations of statistical and diagnostic data.
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APPROACH: First, grant funds will be used to support equipment and software related to NAHLN diagnostic and reporting activities. Funds will be applied toward preventative maintenance and calibration of the six SmartCyclers used for Avian Influenza and Classical Swine Fever Surveillance. In addition, software maintenance will be funded for the backup software program purchased in an earlier CSREES NAHLN grant award, LIMS LINK software that provides instrument interfacing with USA LIMS, and annual maintenance for USA LIMS. Once grant funds have been expended for other items in this grant proposal, the balance will be used to purchase laboratory supplies and consumables related to NAHLN testing. Second, grant funds will provide training and education opportunities for three BVC employees to attend the AAVLD annual conference to be held in Greensboro, NC, in October, 2008. Dr. Ramesh Gupta, Head of Toxicology, is a member of the NAHLN Toxicology Working Group and will represent the BVC at the AAVLD Toxicology Committee. Dr. Shri Singh, Head of Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics, will attend presentations and committee meetings relevant to NAHLN and bioterrorism surveillance activities. Dr. Wade Northington, Director, will attend the preconference NAHLN Symposium on Laboratory Emergency Response and will chair the AAVLD Laboratory Emergency Response Committee meeting. Third, grant funds will be used to upgrade IT components related to laboratory data and information management. Two servers and software upgrades will be purchased and installed.