Update for Accredited Veterinarians Regarding EIA Results

Great news for EIA submitters starting November 1, 2016

Linda Barber, ADDL Central Receiving Section Head

USDA, as well as most states, now accepts scanned copies of the original EIA Testing Forms, VS 10-11, for interstate movement.  The ADDL uses LIMS software that makes it very easy to transmit EIA results.

Starting November 1, the ADDL will no longer mail hard copies, but will e-mail or fax a legible copy of form VS 10-11 to accredited veterinarians the day results are reported out. Results will also be available on our USALIMS Portal. We will continue to process other electronic EIA systems such as Global and VSPS as we had in the past.

We look forward to being able to provide to you these expedited results. Please contact us (614-728-6220) if you have any questions.

ADDL Serves as Regional  Laboratory to Perform Whole Genome Sequencing for FDA Vet-LIRN

Melanie Prarat, ADDL Virology Section

ADDL is one of four Regional Sequencing Laboratories to perform whole genome sequencing (WGS) for pathogens for FDA Vet-LIRN.  We are also one of only two veterinary laboratories in the US to be a member of FDA’s GenomeTrakr network and one of 34 such laboratories of the international laboratory network to perform WGS. ADDL has recently completed and successfully passed the proficiency test sponsored by the FDA CFSAN, which assesses a sequencing lab’s ability to perform WGS with high quality sequence data for NCBI.  So far, ADDL has completed WGS and uploaded 41 pathogen isolates to the NCBI database including Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and E. coli.  ADDL has provided WGS services to researchers, veterinary diagnostic labs, and food safety labs as well as clients; please contact the ADDL for more information: 614-728-6220.

First Equine Cases of West Nile Virus in 2016

Jeff Hayes, DVM, MS, ADDL Pathology Section Head

On Friday, September 16, 2016, the Ohio Department of Agriculture issued an Animal Health Alert to report the first confirmed case of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in a horse this year. Positive serologic testing of a 7‐year‐old Standardbred gelding in Tuscarawas County confirmed the positive WNV diagnosis reported to the Ohio Department of Agriculture Sept. 12. Date of onset of clinical signs was 8/28/16 with signs including stiffness, difficulty walking and difficulty urinating.  By 8/30/16, the horse had to be euthanized after demonstrating clinical signs including generalized shaking and weakness, twitching of the muzzle, increased agitation and pawing the ground, hypermetric gait, exaggerated movements, hyperesthesia, falling down, paddling, seizure and thrashing. A second seropositive case was reported 9/27/16 in a 10 year old Thoroughbred X Standardbred gelding from Pickaway County, with date of onset 9/20/16 and spontaneous death 9/25/16. This horse showed signs including hypermetria and ataxia in the front feet, drifting to the left, altered personality (aggression), recumbency, and muscle fasciculations on the right side of the neck. Neither horse was vaccinated against west Nile virus. The ADDL continues to remind veterinary practitioners to recommend WNV vaccine to clients.

First Cases of EHD in White-tailed Deer in 2016

Jeff Hayes, DVM, MS, ADDL Pathology Section Head

The first case of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) was confirmed in a white-tailed deer on 9/20/2016. The animal, a captive 4 year old doe located on a premise in Brown County, had neurological clinical signs, and necropsy showed mucosal and meningeal congestion. PCR testing of retropharyngeal lymph node detected EHD viral RNA, and the preliminary finding is EHD type 2. This strain has been seen in Ohio in previous years. A second case has been detected in a 6 month old wild buck in Richland County, submitted to the ADDL by the Division of Wildlife.  The virus is transmitted by Culicoides sp. midges so protecting susceptible animals from midge populations at peak times (morning and evening) and the use of insect repellants may be helpful to prevent or mitigate further cases. 

Upcoming Workshops: Backyard Poultry Medicine

Jeff Hayes, DVM, MS, ADDL Pathology Section Head

ADDL is pleased to collaborate with Dr. Mohamed El-Gazzar, OSU Poultry Extension Veterinarian, the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, in offering three "Poultry Medicine Workshops".  The workshops

 will be held in the Cleveland, Columbus (Reynoldsburg ADDL), and Cincinnati metropolitan areas on October 4, 5 and 6, respectively. Each one-day program consists of lectures followed by a wet lab in the afternoon.  Purposes of the workshops are to introduce veterinary practitioners in small animal and mixed animal practice to poultry medicine, and to provide veterinarians with the necessary knowledge and skills to accept poultry clients. ADDL pathologists will present information regarding poultry diagnostic services available at the ADDL at each workshop and will assist in wet labs on poultry sampling and necropsy techniques. Visit the OSU Poultry Medicine Workshops website for further information on locations and times of each workshop. The cost will be $30 which will cover lunch / refreshments.