WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING LABORATORY; PROCUREMENT OF SUPPLIES AND REAGENTS AND EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE FOR SURVEILLANCE; OUTBREAK ASSESSMENT; AND DATA MINING.

Summary:Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (LADDL) is one of four whole genomesequencing laboratories selected by Vet-LIRN to participate in a pilot project usingWhole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to monitor antimicrobial resistance in zoonoticpathogens. Long term goals of this proposal are to add genomic data from animal oranimal feed bacterial isolates to National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring Systemand to develop a rapid response network for accurate resolution of putative animal food-borne disease outbreaks. This project has 3 specific aims: 1. Provide funding forsupplies, reagents and equipment maintenance for continuation of Vet-LIRN?s pilotAntimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Sequencing Project. 2. Through whole genomesequencing: a) provide surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in animal feeds and ininfected animals; b) build reference databases to aid in solving foodborne outbreaksmore efficiently; and c) aid foodborne disease investigations by linking food sources andclusters of disease. 3. Provide support and testing for diagnostic cases or pathogens ofinterest referred by CVM-Vet-LIRN.Antimicrobial resistance is a constant and growing threat to both human and animalhealth. Whole genome sequencing is one of the recent and more powerful tools tostudy it and monitor its development and progression. Sequencing also has shownexcellent utility in the epidemiological investigations of food-borne disease outbreaks.