Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Infectious Salmon Anemia

Partnerships with States and Industry

Spring Viremia of Carp

Pseudorabies

National Animal Health Laboratory Network

Incident Command System: An Interagency Approach to Emergency Response

CEAH Emergency Management Reporting System (EMRS)

The National Animal Health Laboratory Network

Supplemental 2002 Homeland Security funding allowed VS to put in place a pilot version of the NAHLN, a network of Federal and State resources intended to enable a rapid and sufficient response to animal health emergencies. California, Colorado, Georgia, Texas, and Wisconsin received $2 million for increased biosecurity level-3 lab space and for equipment and reporting. Laboratories in Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Iowa, New York, North Carolina, and Washington received $750,000 for equipment, reporting systems, and training.

The laboratories participating in the pilot project, publicly funded laboratories, university laboratories, and other private facilities provide varying animal health diagnostic services in each State, including export certification, some disease surveillance and other related tasks. NVSL in Ames, IA, and Plum Island, NY, provide Federal animal health diagnostic services—including FAD diagnosis and confirmation.

The concept of the NAHLN reconfigures animal health diagnostic services in the United States by positioning NVSL as the lead U.S. animal health laboratory and allowing select laboratories operated by State and university officials to cooperate in FAD surveillance and related services. Such an arrangement will enhance all of the various U.S. animal health diagnostic services, speed response efforts should a FAD be detected in the United States, and lend greater credibility to U.S. animal health export certification.

In 2000, leaders from AAVLD and NVSL met to discuss strategic issues regarding animal health diagnostic services in the United States. The proposal for NAHLN grew out of this meeting and several AAVLD resolutions passed during its annual meeting in 2000. Specifically, AAVLD proposed a cooperative partnership with USDA to promote and protect animal health in the United States; create uniform animal health diagnostic standards and methods; and foster international awareness that animal health in the United States is monitored closely by both State and Federal officials.

Modernizing the national animal health diagnostic system will further strengthen USDA's agricultural safeguarding system and improve upon our working relationships with State officials and the scientific community. Past events such as the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Great Britain in 2001 have shown the devastating effects that can occur from even a slight delay in detecting a highly infectious animal disease agent in the livestock population. By increasing the number of officials and laboratory facilities that are looking for signs of FAD in the United States and using standardized laboratory and reporting procedures, VS is in a better position to respond swiftly and comprehensively to a disease detection.