Source: UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING submitted to
NAHLN TESTING - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, WYOMING STATE VETERINARY LABORATORY
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0230107
Grant No.
2012-37620-19798
Project No.
WYO-00621-12
Proposal No.
2014-07094
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
AA-G
Project Start Date
Aug 15, 2012
Project End Date
Aug 14, 2016
Grant Year
2015
Project Director
Miller, M. M.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
1000 E UNIVERSITY AVE DEPARTMENT 3434
LARAMIE,WY 82071-2000
Performing Department
Veterinary Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Maintaining the health of the nation's domestic animal and wildlife populations is necessary for national security, economic viability, and public health. Some animal diseases that are currently present in the country's animal populations or that are exotic to the United States are of special concern. The National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), a system of state veterinary diagnostic laboratories, was created to assist USDA-APHIS-VS in their surveillance efforts for these diseases. These state laboratories serve as a first line of defense against these diseases. Through continued surveillance, national animal health and security officials are able to maintain an awareness of the incidence and distribution of such diseases that currently affect native animal populations. Early detection of exotic animal diseases will assist the federal government in control, eradication, and help mitigate the adverse effects, including those that impact the nation's security and economic viability
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3110830110010%
3110830110110%
3113299110010%
3113299110110%
3113399110010%
3113399110120%
3113899110010%
3113899110120%
Goals / Objectives
The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) is an American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians-accredited animal disease diagnostic laboratory. The WSVL has been a `member laboratory' of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) for several years and successfully renewed this membership through June, 2012. The WSVL is currently approved to test for animal diseases of importance to national security or that are considered to be of high national importance including foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, vesicular stomatitis, avian influenza, exotic Newcastle disease, chronic wasting disease, and scrapie. The WSVL is taking steps to continue membership in the NAHLN and to increase the value of WSVL as a member laboratory. For small public-funded laboratories in sparsely populated states, it is a challenge to maintain currency and offer a complete menu of routine diagnostic tests while at the same time maintaining a commitment to the NAHLN for testing of high impact diseases. Adequate depth in trained technical staff is necessary to ensure that demands of routine as well as NAHLN testing are satisfied. Ensuring that equipment/instruments are professionally maintained and calibrated will help guarantee the accuracy of results and avoid costly downtime. Objective #1 is to request continued partial salary support for this technical staff member who is currently proficiency tested for several diseases under the auspices of the NAHLN. Objective #2 is to request dollar support to defray maintenance and calibration costs for two Cepheid SmartCyclers. Achieving these two objectives will address laboratory issues specified in the NAHLN RFA. Testing through the NAHLN helps to insure the health and well being of the nation's livestock and wildlife and to preserve public health.
Project Methods
Testing for diseases that may have serious consequences for animal and public health and national security through the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) is the major focus for participating diagnostic laboratories. Tests, methods and procedures followed by participating laboratories are approved, validated, and controlled by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory and the participants are expected to demonstrate proficiency in these testing methods. The NAHLN also specifies appropriate instrument or equipment platforms approved to be used in the specified procedures. Methods and procedures for the diseases of interest to the NAHLN include, but are not limited to, molecular diagnostics (PCR) as well as more traditional methods of agent isolation or culture, serology, and immunohistochemistry. Agent specific issues of security, biosafety, and biocontainment are followed by NAHLN member laboratories. Results of NAHLN testing are communicated rapidly and securely to NAHLN and the NVSL. Knowledge of the occurrence of diseases important to the NAHLN will inform and allow federal officials to react rapidly and effectively, if needed, to outbreaks of such diseases. This testing will help ensure the security and health of the nation's domestic animals, wildlife, and general public.

Progress 08/15/12 to 08/14/16

Outputs
Target Audience:We provide service to Wyoming livestock producers, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Wyoming pet owners. This includes samples tested as diagnostic accessions, and surveillance samples to monitor for the presence and distribution of endemic virus or the incursion of new viruses or strains. Changes/Problems:The WSVL now has robotic nucleic acid extraction capability. The will greatly increase our sample processing capacity so that the laboratory can better respond to outbreaks of animal disease of economic and public health significance. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The amount of this award does not cover our cost of participation in NAHLN, but does support part of the cost for proficiency training for one technician. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of AIV surveillance testing of poultry species participating in the Wyoming County and State fairs is reported to the owners, state and county officials and fair organizers. Owners have shown great interest in participating in this volunteer testing, and it is a great way to discuss the importance of bird health and biosecurity issues. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) now has four technical staff members and one faculty/supervisor proficiency tested to perform Avian and Swine Influenza virus assays, as well as foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever and Newcastle disease assays. Three technical staff are proficiency trained to perform vesicular stomatitis virus testing. Our laboratory first identified the HPAI in our state in 2015, in a wild Canadian goose, which was confirmed by NVSL. The WSVL uses these assays for diagnostic service as well as disease surveillance testing by the Wyoming livestock board and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Publications


    Progress 08/15/14 to 08/14/15

    Outputs
    Target Audience: We provide service to Wyoming livestock producers, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Wyoming pet owners. This includes samples tested as diagnostic accessions, and surveillance samples to monitor for the presence or incursion of viruses. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The amount of this award does not cover the cost of participation in NAHLN, but does support part of the cost for proficiency training for one technician. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The results of AIV surveillance testing of poultry species participating in the Wyoming County and State fairs is reported to the owners and fair organizers. Owners have shown great interest in participating in this volunteer surveillance, and it is a great way to discuss the importance of bird health and biosecurity issues. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? We will continue to participate in proficiency training forthe virology staff so that we can provide diagnostic service and surveillance testing for the livestock growers and wildlife managersof our state.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) now has four technical staff members and one faculty/supervisor proficiency tested to perform Avian and Swine Influenza virus assays, as well as foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever and Newcastle disease assays. Three technical staff are proficiency trained to perform vesicular stomatitisvirus testing. Our laboratory first identified the HPAI in a wild Canadian goose in our state, which was confirmed by NVSL. The WSVL uses these assays for diagnostic service as well as disease surveillance testing by the Wyoming livestock board and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

    Publications


      Progress 08/15/13 to 08/14/14

      Outputs
      Target Audience: Wyoming poultry and livestock owners who have submitted diagnostic samples and surveillance samples for NAHLN covered diseases. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The cost of training and performing the proficiency tests for four staff members is supported by this grant. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The results of the avian influenza surveillance tests are returned to the Wyoming livestock board and with their permission also shared with interested fair managers and poultry owners. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The surveillance testing at county and state fairs will fall in the final reporting period of this grant.

      Impacts
      What was accomplished under these goals? The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory has four staff members proficiency trained for foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, exotic Newcastle disease, and avian and swine influenza virus testing. The lab performs diagnostic testing for swine and avian influenza, and avian paramyxovirus. Surveillance avian influenza virus testing is submitted by the Wyomng livestock board as samples collected at county and state fairs.

      Publications


        Progress 08/15/12 to 08/14/13

        Outputs
        Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Five staff members are currently taking part in annual proficiency training for viral diseases of high importance. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

        Impacts
        What was accomplished under these goals? The Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) has 4 staff members proficiency trained for foot and mouith disease and classical swine fever testing. Five staff are proficiency trained in exotic Newcastle disease and swine influenza testing and three staff members are proficiency trained for avian influenza testing. Two additional staff members will be taking the proficiency test for avian influenza in the next month. The WSVL performs routine testing for swine and avian influenza testing on diagnostic samples. In addition the WSVL tests poultry samples taken from birds at county and state fairs for avian influenza virus survey testing.

        Publications