The New York State/Cornell Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC) is a full-service multidisciplinary veterinary diagnostic laboratory and the only one of its kind in the northeastern United States. The AHDC received over 200,000 client accessions in 2016. The Bacteriology section has MALDI-TOF, Sensititer, Blood culture machine, BSL3 upgradable workspace and 16S DNA sequencing capabilities, making it a full-service bacteriology laboratory. Additionally, the AHDC has in-house ISO approved Whole genome sequencing capacity which are unique to infectious disease laboratories. The Bacteriology laboratory of the AHDC performed approximately 100,000 tests in the year 2016 on clinical samples, tissue, serum, bacterial isolates, environmental, food, and feed samples. The AHDC has partnered with the FDA and played an active role in pet food and animal feed contamination investigations many times over the past dozen years. We hope to continue our participation with the FDA Vet-LIRN program and other network laboratories to: 1) Continue participation in VPO designated sample analyses and surveillance activities to promote animal health and welfare and add to the Vet-LIRN Network's surge capacity to assist in emergency and large-scale outbreak testing. 2) Provide analytical data to support regulatory actions by developing and using standardized methods, equipment platforms, and reporting methods, continued participation in proficiency testing provided by the VPO, continue investigating consumer reported cases as requested by the VPO, and continuing to improve and implement standardized quality management systems as designated by the VPO. 3) Continue to participate in small-scale antibiotic susceptibility testing studies to address emerging antimicrobial resistance issues, and participate in Whole genome sequencing project. The bacteriology section of the AHDC intends to continue cooperative activities with the FDA Vet-LIRN, the Vet- LIRN network, and federal, state, local and tribal organizations to promote animal health and feed and food safety and security.
Today, emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria is considered as a global threat. Prudent susceptibility testing and use of antibiotics will help us to reduce the antibiotic resistance burden. The AHDC Bacteriology laboratory wishes to continue its cooperative agreement with the FDA Vet-LIRN and the Vet-LIRN network of veterinary diagnostic laboratories to promote the areas of food and feed surveillance, antibiotic susceptibility testing, quality management, promote animal health and feed and food safety and security and provide surge capacity for large-scale testing in the event of an emergency.
