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The goals of this project are to enhance the capability and capacity of State and University animal disease diagnostic laboratories for 1) surveillance for, 2) early detection of, 3) rapid response to, and 4) appropriate recovery from an animal agriculture catastrophe.<P> OUTPUT 1: <BR> DIAGNOSTICS: The NAHLN grant funds will increase diagnostic capabilities and capacity in South Dakota in preparation for responding to animal disease outbreaks, especially those with significant consequences. During 2008-2009 the SDSU ADRDL will be cooperating with: 1) the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department and Wildlife Services to test approximately 750 wild birds for Avian Influenza Virus infection; 2) state meat inspection programs of ND and SD to test all farm raised elk for CWD; 3) the national scrapie surveillance program to provide testing of sheep for scrapie; and 4) the SD Game Fish and Parks Department to test hunter harvested deer and elk for CWD. <BR><BR>OUTPUT 2: <BR>TRAINING & EDUCATION: Attendance at Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) and Agro-Terrorism training and emergency preparedness meetings, seminars, and workshops remains important for all of the department diagnosticians. <BR><BR>OUTPUT 3:<BR> IT & DATA MANAGEMENT: The SDSU ADRDL uses a fully integrated laboratory information management system (LIMS), in place since 1994. Maintaining the computer system is essential to secure, timely and reliable exchange of data among NAHLN laboratories and NVSL and regulatory animal health officials via connectivity with the NAHLN IT repository. (To date we have successfully send test messages to the NAHLN repository computer.) Maintenance and adjustments to our current system are required for continued connectivity to the NAHLN IT system. <BR><BR>OUTPUT 4:<BR>PUBLIC RELATIONS: <BR>The lab currently receives approximately 26,000 submissions per year and conducts over 440,000 test procedures. This includes approximately 300,000 serological assays and 60,000 PCR tests annually. The lab also offers full services in virology, bacteriology, clinical pathology, parasitology, histology, and immunohistochemistry. <BR><BR>OUTPUT 5:<BR>INTERFACE WITH RESEARCH: <BR>We serve all animal owners in the broadest sense. In South Dakota, the number one industry is agriculture with a total economic impact of $17.1 billion. Livestock production has an economic impact of $5.7 billion and that of crops is $6.0 billion. There are 32,500 farms and ranches in the state with an average farm size of 1,354 acres. South Dakota ranks #1 in Bison (40,000 head); #3 in lambs born (290,000 head); #5 in all sheep and lambs (385,000 head); #5 in beef cows (that have calved 1.6 million head); #6 in calves born (1.7 million head); #7 in cattle and calves on feed (400,000 head); and #8 in total cattle/calves (3.8 million head). South Dakota currently has 1.3 million hogs. The turkey industry is growing and currently producing 4.6 million birds per year. In summary, the above statistics explain why 75-80 percent of our case submissions support the food animal industry. The remaining case submissions serve companion animals, wildlife, and zoo / exotic animals.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The SDSU ADRDL was invited to join the National Animal Health Lab Network (NAHLN) in December 2004. The NAHLN is a state and federal partnership between the USDA NVSL (Federal Reference Lab for Animal Health) and the state veterinary diagnostic labs (state animal health labs) represented by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). <P>
GOALS FOR THIS PROJECT: The goals of this project are to enhance the capability and capacity of State and University animal disease diagnostic laboratories for 1) surveillance for, 2) early detection of, 3) rapid response to, and 4) appropriate recovery from an animal agriculture catastrophe. The focus will be on animal health diagnostic issues for the nation; in particular on diseases of national and international impact. This includes foreign animal diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease in cattle and Classical Swine Fever in hogs, as well as Avian Influenza in poultry and diseases of public health interest. The latter includes prion-associated diseases such as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, Chronic Wasting Disease of deer and elk, and Scrapie disease in sheep. <P>JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT GRANT PROPOSAL: The NAHLN has several active objectives, as developed by the collaborating steering committee comprised of the state and federal partners. One of those objectives includes the development of efficient and secure communication and reporting capabilities. Other objectives include emergency disease preparedness and enhanced response capabilities, improving the expertise of our diagnosticians, and increasing/improving disease surveillance activities. This cooperative agreement grant proposal seeks funds to be used for all of these objectives.
<P>APPROACH: The ADRDL is authorized and has completed appropriate proficiency tests to conduct PCR, serology (AGID), and immunohistochemistry testing via the NVSL and NAHLN training and proficiency test programs. The NAHLN grant funds provided this year have allowed us to increase diagnostic capabilities and capacity in South Dakota in preparation for responding to animal disease outbreaks, especially diseases with significant consequences. During the fall of 2007 the SDSU ADRDL joined with the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department and Wildlife Services to test more than 1500 wild birds for Avian Influenza Virus infection, using the PCR test (Avian Influenza matrix screen followed by H5 and H7 PCR screens). The SDSU ADRDL is also offering to do additional samples from other states via USDA APHIS NAHLN coordination as requested. The lab continues to work with state meat inspection programs of ND and SD to test all farm raised elk for CWD. Working in conjunction with the SD Game Fish and Parks Department during the 2007-2008 deer and elk hunting seasons, the ADRDL has performed surveillance testing for CWD utilizing the Bio-Rad ELISA and immunohistochemistry tests. The SDSU ADRDL is not currently a BSE authorized laboratory, but as the table below shows, we have the equipment and expertise to participate in either IHC testing or Bio-Rad ELISA testing during a BSE crisis if called up to do so by NAHLN leaders. (The same procedures are used in the CWD and Scrapie testing programs.) To date, the lab has completed the following surveillance tests: FY2008 Number of Tests Performed at ADRDL Avian Influenza Serology: 2529 Avian Influenza PCR: 3340 CWD ELISA: 2573 CWD IHC: 2206 In the event of a serious outbreak, all other testing would move aside and staggered shifts would be used to meet the need. Any additional tests currently certified by NVSL could also be quickly brought on-line as needed.