Source: UNIV OF WISCONSIN submitted to NRP
NAHLN SCOPE DISEASES: MAINTAIN CAPACITY FOR OUTBREAK RESPONSE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031082
Grant No.
2023-37624-40714
Cumulative Award Amt.
$250,000.00
Proposal No.
2023-05347
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2023
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2024
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[AA-G]- Homeland Security
Recipient Organization
UNIV OF WISCONSIN
21 N PARK ST STE 6401
MADISON,WI 53715-1218
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The WVDL is a critical tool to maintain animal health and product movement in Wisconsin and we are key contributor to the NAHLN as a Level 1 laboratory. We have beenactive in disease testing in response to the HPAIoutbreak since March 2022 and are one of the biggest CWD testing laboratories in the network. We do this work as an addition to our regular mission critical work to support Wisconsin veterinarians and animal agriculture industries.The primary focus of this proposal is the salary support for keyadministrative personnel and microbiologists. These funds will enhance, manage and support theNAHLN program at WVDL as a high-quality laboratory partner in the NAHLN network andincrease microbiologist capabilities and capacity for NAHLN disease testing in routinesurveillance and the on-going HPAIdisease outbreak.WVDL is proud of our important role insafeguarding our agriculture and food safety industries in Wisconsin and the USA.?
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
50%
Developmental
50%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3113499110140%
3113260110110%
3113270110110%
3113260110010%
3113270110010%
3113899110320%
Goals / Objectives
The 2023 Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL) 2023-24 Level 1 Cooperative Agreement fund goals are to maintain and improve our response readiness, testing capacity,and a plan of work to continue our surveillance testing and response to the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak.Our goals are to enhance, manage and support the NAHLN program at WVDL. It will focus on salary support to increase NAHLN microbiologist capabilities and capacity for NAHLN disease tesing both in routine surveillance and disease outbreaks. The expansion includes additional staff to supprt the ongoing outbreak testing, maintain our quality system and the NAHLN IT messaging and IT infrastructure, as well as activities in other areas including transmissible spongiform encephalopathies testing and antimicrobial resistance monitoring.We havea successful track record for being highly effective and efficient in assay development and testing for endemic livestock diseases and FAD outbreak response. Preparation and readiness to respond over the past years was critical for the 2022 HPAI disease outbreak response, where WVDL was highly praised by state animal health officials for our rapid and accurate testing which expediated the disease control measures during the outbreak.Additionally, WVDL will continue to play an active role in numerous NAHLN working groups and committes and leading a bovine germplasm movement protocol in the event of a FMD outbreak. WVDL expects to continue collaboration with state and federal partners, as well as other veterinary diagnostic laboratories to achive the common goal of NAHLN program to protect American agriculture.
Project Methods
Primary Data GenerationPrimary data generated for this grant will be both non-digital (sample submission forms, testing processing, interpretation for immunohistochemistry slides) as well as digital generation by equipment from laboratory work (real-time PCR results, ELISA testing results, bacterial isolates and MIC profile and whole genome sequence of bacterial isolates for AMR project). Both types of data will be stored and maintained as records as well as the final test results entered into LIMS. All diagnostic testing for this cooperative agreement are part of specific NAHLN testing protocols for procedures, equipment, and consumables.Data format and transmission to NAHLNRaw data generation from equipment and testing procedures (PCR, ELISA) are in a standardized format and will be converted to standard final test results (e.g. Detected, Not Detected) that is stored in WVDL LIMS and shared via HL7 e-messaging to the Laboratory Messaging System (LMS) or other VS systems. This will apply to all laboratory approved NAHLN assays. Data in LIMS is stored either within the database or on application/file servers. Bacterial identification and AMR isolates data and bacterial whole genome sequencing raw and processed data generation are also in a standard format and will be stored in WVDL file servers. AMR isolates will be share via monthly Excel spreadsheet submission to the AMR project, while the WGS data will be shared via cloud based site such as the USDA CloudVault site.Data storage and preservationData generation in this grant falls under WVDL Records Retention and Disposition Schedule, which is that data will be retained for at least 10 years. During the retention period, records willbe stored in a manner that they are readily retrievable and integrity preserved. Some hardcopy records will be stored in file cabinets located in access-controlled rooms. While electronic records will be stored in permission-restricted file servers on the WVDL network, or WVDL file servers within a permission-restricted folder. The servers are routinely backed up to disk and or tape and is recoverable in the event of data loss or disaster. Some records produced by instrument computers/software will be transferred from the local computer to a designated WVDL file server. Transfer/back up will occur according to the frequency defined in the related equipment record.Data sharing, protection, and public accessDiagnostic test results for NAHLN scope diseases will consistently be electronically messaged, using HL7 standards, to the Laboratory Messaging System (LMS) or other VS systems for all laboratory approved NAHLN assays. Assembled and non-assembled whole genome sequencing data will be shared through the USDA CloudVault site, the default site for data depository. Client confidentiality, personal privacy, business confidential information will be protected according to WVDL client confidentiality policy, in compliance to AAVLD standard. However, records of the WVDL are subject to the Wisconsin Open Records Law (Wi. Statute 19.31-39) and are available on written request by use of the Third-party Information Request Form or may be requested directly through UW-Madison Public Records Portal.Roles and responsibilitiesIt is the responsibility of all WVDL personnel to manage records of all work or operations performed in the format prescribed by the WVDL Quality System. The section head or supervisor of each section is custodian of technical records and includes client analysis requests, original analysis observations, manual calculation checks, derived data, equipment activity records and sufficient information to establish an audit trail including any written original observations or data related to a submission or testing activity. The Director of IT is the custodian of information technology related records. The Quality Manager is the custodian of quality system records including internal and external audits, corrective and preventative action requests, lab-wide quality related training records, and management reviews. The project director (PD) and co-PDs will follow the WVDL Quality System and policies to manage and disseminate data generated by this project.

Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of the work supported by this NAHLN Level 1 Cooperative Agreement includes 1. USDA (NVSL, NAHLN, APHIS), 2. Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the State Animal Health Official, 3. Wisconsin Agricultural Industries. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?WVDL sent a section head and twomicrobiologists to the USDA/NVSL bench scientist training program at Cornell in June, 2024. Dr. Ailam Lim was an organizer and trainer. This funding partially funds all staff that attended. WVDL sent eight staff to the AAVLD/USAHA meeting for continuing education and participation on committees. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Diagnostic test results for NAHLN scope diseases were electronically messaged,using HL7 standards, to the Laboratory Messaging System (LMS) or other VS systems for alllaboratory-approved NAHLN assays. Assembled and non-assembled whole genome sequencingdata was shared through the USDA CloudVault site, the default site for data depository.Client confidentiality, personal privacy, business confidential information is protectedaccording to WVDL client confidentiality policy in compliance with AAVLD standards. However,records of the WVDL are subject to the Wisconsin Open Records Law (Wi. Statute 19.31-39). Theyare available on written request using the Third-party Information Request Form or maybe requested directly through UW-Madison Public Records Portal. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Accomplishments of the 2023/2024 NAHLN Level 1 Cooperative agreement are like previous years.We continue to work on areas of continuous improvement. We achieved all of our goals and responded to new challenges. WVDL participated in all activities and drills, was active in the weekly calls, provided testing for the H5N1 outbreak in dairy cattle, and successfully trained and proficiency tested 15 microbiologists. WVDL had our site visit for AAVLD accreditation and was given full accreditation with no major findings. Our summary reports and response to minor findings are due by 12/31/2024. WVDL developed and deployed Trace First, Core One for Labs as our new LIMS. We will continually optimize performance, working with NAHLN IT for electronic messaging and supporting an efficient customer experience. On the testing front, currently 15 microbiologists are proficiency testedfor each of the following diseases: IAV-Swine, IAV (including H5 and H7), APMV-1 (including vNDV), CSF and FMD. Thirteen microbiologists are currently proficient for ASF and the FMD/SVA multiplex assay. The IAV proficiency-tested microbiologists are actively providing outbreak testing for the on-going HPAI outbreak in poultry and now cattle since mid-March of 2022. Eight microbiologists in Pathology Sciences are proficiency tested for the TSE ELISA and 6 Pathologists for scrapie/CWD IHC to maintain our critical role in providing quality testing service for TSE testing for many states. The WVDL Pathology sectionimplementeda digital pathology service in 2024 validated for CWD IHC, funded by a NAHLN Farm Bill grant. The WVDL continued our participation in the NAHLN AMR program in addition to performing bacterial whole genome sequencing for the NAHLN AMR project.

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