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The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is a Member of NAHLN and as such participates in the active surveillance of diseases in this program. We have since our inclusion in NAHLN collaborated in the surveillance of AI, END, and CSF and of other diseases as they arise such as CEM and SIV. We have strived to acquire the required scientific equipment, train personnel and maintain proficiency testing. In addition we are working towards getting a new improved LIMS that enable us to use HL7 and to get new state of the art laboratory facilities.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: NJDA Diagnostic laboratory since its partnership with USDA/APHIS/NAHLN has participated in the surveillance efforts to test for FAD of interest to the national agriculture. The goal of the NAHLN partnership and collaboration is to provide adequate surveillance for FAD and to have the readinnes required for a response to a disease outbreak should this be the case. For this purpose staff was hired and trained in the corresponding protocols and subsequently proficiency tested. Equipment in which these tests are validated have been purchased and maintained and we have added high throughput equipment to be used in the even of an outbreak. The laboratory has participated in AI, END and CSF surveillance programs. New Jersey is instrumental in AI surveillance along with other states in the NE Region because of its unique live bird markets and the potential for introduction of disease in these very eclectic venues for the sale and distribution of poultry. We are also proficiency tested in FMS although at this time we are not participating in the surveillance efforts for this disease. Recently when the CEM was detected and traced back to several states, NJDA Diagnostic Laboratory participated in the trace backs and offered its expert staff and capacity to test samples from out of state should the need arise. Same has happened for the H1 N1 recent outbreak in human population and the effort from NAHLN to perform surveillance in swine population. The laboratory has acquired a mobile laboratory unit that can be deployed to test in remote locations should the need arise cutting down in turn around time of results and risk of spreading disease by transport of specimens. A new laboratory facility is under construction and will offer new state of the art conditions for testing and new equipment. In addition it will have BSL 3 suites to better handle suspect specimens in a contained save environment. We have worked to implement a QA system that complies with AAVLD requirements using the ISO 17025 and OIE standards. A new LIMS will be implemented shortly and with it we will be capable of HL7 messaging test results to NAHLN. We want to continue to improve our ability to hire professional staff with expertise in the different areas needed to carry this surveillance mission and that is able to respond in case of an emergency; continue to train our current staff to keep them up to date with latest scientific developments and new SOPS issued by our federal partners. We need to maintain the current equipment and acquire new as it becomes available and validated for surveillance testing.
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APPROACH: NAHLN laboratories are required to use NAHLN approved SOP that are issued by NAHLN/NVSL/APHIS/VS/USDA. In accordance to the requirements the staff; technical and professional that are involved in the testing of surveillance samples for FAD are proficiency tested every year and the results are evaluated by NAHLN/NVSL/APHIS/VS/USDA. We use the appoved equipment and reagents to perform these tests and send samples for confirmation to NAHLN/NVSL/APHIS/VS/USDA as agreed by all collaborating laboratories.