Source: WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
NAHLN: MAINTAIN LEVEL 1 STATUS AND INCREASE NAHLN CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITY IN ADDRESSING AN ADVERSE ANIMAL HEALTH EVENT SUCH AS MAY OCCUR WITH AN EMERGING DISEASE DETECTION OR FOREIGN ANIMAL DISEASE.
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031265
Grant No.
2023-37624-40943
Cumulative Award Amt.
$250,000.00
Proposal No.
2023-05354
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
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
240 FRENCH ADMINISTRATION BLDG
PULLMAN,WA 99164-0001
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Early detection, response, and recovery to an emerging or foreign animal infectious disease agent, whether accidentally ordeliberately introduced, is dependent upon a qualified, reliable, and secure network of laboratories strategically locatedthroughout the United States. In response to this need, the USDA National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) wasestablished in 2002 as a comprehensive and fully coordinated surveillance and monitoring system of animal disease.The current proposal is for the continued participaton of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL) at WashingtonState University in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) as a Level 1 Member Laboratory in FY2024. TheWADDL plan of work objectives for FY2024 are: (1) meet all responsibilities as a Level 1 NAHLN Laboratory; and 2) increase NAHLNcapabilities and capacity in addressing an adverse animal health event (i.e. FAD) with priority placed on the ability to electronicallymessage test results.This will be accomplished by supporting IT personnel to: 1) actively and consistently electronically message all diagnostic test results underour testing scope in specified timelines using HL7 standards to NAHLN or other VS systems, 2) participating in messagingcompetency events to demonstrate the ability to use HL7 standards and electronically transmit test result data to APHISdatabases, 3) develop new messages for diagnostic test results in a timeframe prescribed by NAHLN, 4) comply with IT systemaccess and connectivity requirements, 5) provide diagnostic data per the specified timelines and reporting requirements, and 6)supporting a laboratory quality management system and maintaining full accreditation by the American Association of VeterinaryLaboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD).The objectives will also include supporting laboratory and administrative personnel to, a1)accept and rapidly test samples for animaldisease investigations, surveillance, and outbreak situations, 2) assist other NAHLN laboratories during emergency situations asable, 3) utilize the APHIS NAHLN portal, and 4)maintain the ability to fulfill the administrative requirements related to federal fundingreceived for NAHLN activities.The impact of accomplishing the project goals would be to provide national laboratory capacity andcapability to quickly and effectively address an adverse animal health event such as may occur with an emerging diseasedetection or foreign animal disease outbreak.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
31139991160100%
Knowledge Area
311 - Animal Diseases;

Subject Of Investigation
3999 - Animal research, general;

Field Of Science
1160 - Pathology;
Keywords
Goals / Objectives
The goal of the current proposal is for participation of WSU-WADDL (Pullman and Puyallup) in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) as a Level 1 Member Laboratory in FY2024. The WADDL plan of work objectives for FY2024 are to: (1) meet all responsibilities as a Level 1 NAHLN Laboratory; and 2) increase NAHLN capabilities and capacity in addressing an adverse animal health event such as may occur with an emerging disease detection or foreign animal disease outbreak with priority placed on the ability to electronically message test results.
Project Methods
See products and outcomes.

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

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience includes animal agriculture producers and food security for the general population including racial and ethnic minorities and those that are socially or economically disadvantaged in the United States. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two faculty attended the annual AAVLD conference in Washington D.C. using NAHLN funds. The combined travel status dates were 10/11/2023 - 10/17/2023. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?1. A robust website, updated weekly with relevant information. 2. Mass email communications for important updates impacting stakeholders. 3. Attendance by senior administrators and staff at weekly NAHLN and various Washington State meetings. 4. Representation at conferences, where we sometimes host a booth to disseminate information and engage with the community. 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 following activities wereconducted under this projectto increase the NAHLN capabilities and capacity. Outcomes from the FY24NAHLN funding included. 1. IT electronic messaging of NAHLN scope and emerging diseases This request supported WADDL IT staff and technical staff having the skillsets to maintainand demonstrated ability to utilize HL7 messaging for all NAHLN assays under the scope of WADDL. As evidence for WADDL's ability to meet this category, 12 WADDL personnel participated in NAHLN IT security training in 2023. WADDL received NAHLN approval for electronic messaging of all NAHLN scope disease per the current Agreement for Participation in the NAHLN. With the current 2022-current avian influenza outbreak, WADDL successfully HL7 messaged 540 messages to the NAHLN. 2. Equipment This request provided funding for 2 low temp Freezers and refrigerator for cold storage, an Antigen Retrieval Chamber, and a laptop computer allowing a staff member involved with PCR testing to work off-site during non-work hours. Additionally, this request supported the maintenance agreements for ABI 7500 Fast Thermocyclers and Kingfisher Flex 96-well high-throughput DNA/RNA extraction systems. 3. Quality Management System Funding from this project supported the WADDL Quality Manager (QM) and technical staff who serve as internal auditors for the WADDL QMS and the AAVLD Auditor Pool. In addition the new Assistant QM and Sample Receiving Manager attended theNAHLNBasic QMS training course. WADDL is fully accredited by the AAVLD through 2026 following a successful onsite audit in the fall of 2021. The WADDL QMS is under the leadership of oneQM (1.0 FTE) anAsst. QM (1.0 FTE). In 2023, WADDL-AHFSL achieved ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for the FDA LAAF Shell Egg testing program.In 2023 an equipment temperature and CO2 monitoring system was installed allowing real-time monitoring and electronic notification of all freezers, refrigerators, and incubators in WADDL Puyallup. Annual upgrades and projects for the QMS Q-Pulse software for 2023-2024 included additional features for test validation, trend analysis, purchasing/procurement, and administrative functions. 4. Technical support to increase FADI and/or Emerging Disease Detection The current request supported salaries of technical staff to increase FADI and emerging disease detection. This support wasfurther leveraged for emerging disease detection with the 2021 NAHLN Enhancement Project, "Enhancing Rapid Detection of Emerging Aquatic Diseases for Deployability", awarded tofaculty at WADDL. The most significant activity during FY24funding cycle was to maintain infrastructure and preparedness for FAD and agroterrorism events, including high throughput testing, continued personnel training, proficiency testing, and FAD surveillance. WADDL current status for NAHLN testing is as follows: Laboratory Assay Preparedness. WADDL is at full capabilityfor all NAHLN assays under our testing scope, including APMV-1 (epizootic Newcastle's disease), IAV-A (avian influenza), ASF, BSE, CSF, CWD, FMD, IAV-S (swine influenza), ISAV, Pseudorabies, scrapie, SVC, and VHSV (WADDL-Pullman) and IAV-A and APMV-1 in WADDL-Puyallup. WADDL also is approved for SVCV and VHSV isolation. WADDL is one of the 4 approved BSE testing labs in the USA, and currently performs the Bio-Rad ELISA assay. Estimated WADDL high throughput capacity for real time PCR is 1,500-2000 assays/10-hour shift, depending upon the procedure, disease, and sample matrix. FAD testing infrastructure funded through APHIS and NIFA was exercised through organized APHIS disease surveillance activities as follows: NAHLN Scope testing (not including PT tests) APMV: 134 BSE:3,498 CWD (ELISA):369 CWD (IHC):483 Scrapie (IHC):2740 AI (H5):198 AI (matrix):2,140 ASF (PCR):0 FMD (PCR):1 ISAV (PCR):2,121 VHSV (PCR):195 SVC (PCR):3 WADDL conducts periodic FMD and ASF testing on suspect cases, with rapid turnaround of test results within 4-24 hours. During the COVID-19 pandemic WADDL provided PCR surveillance testing in FY20 for the newly emergent SARS-CoV-2 in animals (382), humans (79,388 tests) and human wastewater (435 tests). Proficiency Testing: WADDL staff successfully completed proficiency testing for AI/END, FMD/CSF/SIV, Scrapie/CWD, BSE, and PRV ELISA . Staff currently proficiency tested and approved for NAHLN assay performance are outlined below. NIFA funding provides partial salary and benefit support for the individuals. AI/ND (RT-PCR):7 FTE FMD/CSF (RT-PCR):6 FTE ASF (RT-PCR):6 FTE Scrapie/CWD (IHC):2 FTE CWD (ELISA): 5 FTE BSE (ELISA): 5 FTE ISAV (RT-PCR): 2 FTE SIV (RT-PCR): 2 FTE SVCV (VI):2 FTE VHSV (VI):2 FTE VHSV (RT-PCR):2 FTE Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance:4 FTE PRV (g1 and gB ELISA):3 FTE

Publications

  • Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Elsmo EJ, W�nschmann A, Beckmen KB, Broughton-Neiswanger LE, Buckles EL, Ellis J, Fitzgerald SD, Gerlach R, Hawkins S, Ip HS, Lankton JS, Lemley EM, Lenoch JB, Killian ML, Lantz K, Long L, Maes R, Mainenti M, Melotti J, Moriarty ME Nakagun S, Ruden RM, Shearn-Bochsler V, Thompson D, Torchetti MK, Van Wettere AJ, Wise AG, Lim AL. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Clade 2.344b Infections in Wild Terrestrial Mammals, United States, 2022 Emerg Infect Dis. 2023 doi: 10.3201/eid2912_230464_ PMID: 37987580; PMCID: PMC10683806