In 2007, some pets became ill and a few died as the result of consuming contaminated pet food. An investigation revealed that the incident was due to melamine, an adulterant found in the contaminated pet food. Melamine was also found in tainted animal feed that was used for farm animal and fish. Some food animals that ate the tainted feed were processed into human food (1, 2). This event had major implications for animal and human health. In recognition of the event and its consequences, the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) sought out cooperative agreements with veterinary diagnostic laboratories to enable analysis of animal diagnostic samples and animal food/drug products in the event that laboratory surge capacity resulting from large-scale outbreak or threat incident is needed. Participating laboratories have increase surge capacity and have prepared for analysis related to microbiological or chemical contamination, either through intentional or unintentional means. This application is to continue the WVDL's commitment to this cooperative agreement. This consortium of laboratories is useful for the detection and surveillance of animal feeds or other large-scale outbreaks, so as to halt an event early and reduce consequences. Therefore, the goal is for the CVM to establish rapid communication with veterinary diagnostic laboratories and increase the government's ability to examine samples from animals adversely affected by contaminated or adulterated products. Examination of such samples can contribute to overall food safety as animal food events could signal potential issues in the human food system. This will be achieved by institutional capacity building that includes methods standardization, training and proficiency testing of partner laboratories and infrastructural enhancement through equipment and reagent purchase. The WVDL seeks to continue to participate in this project. The University of Wisconsin (UW)- Madison, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL) is fully accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD), and thus, has the personnel with necessary experience, technical expertise and necessary infrastructure to accomplish the task described above with relative ease.
In 2007, cats and dogs that ate certain pet foods became sick and several of them died. This led to pet food recall (1, 2). Investigation revealed that the incident was due to melamine adulteration of animal food ingredients. It was also found that a portion of the tainted pet food was used to produce farm animal feed and fish feed and some animals that ate the tainted feed had been processed into human food. This event, therefore, has major implications in animal and human health. The FDA has increasingly been called upon to expand the testing program that addresses the increasing threat to food safety and security through both naturally occurring pathogen outbreaks and intentional terrorism events. Although FDA has developed several microbiological screening and analysis methodologies that are used to evaluate foods and food products. In such situations the agency may not have enough capacity to cope in the event of large-scale outbreak or threat incident. This must therefore be anticipated and avoided. Therefore seeking partnership with veterinary diagnostic laboratories provides additional means of capacity building and capability enhancement. Vet-LIRN laboratories can fill the gap and assist in reducing the incidence of food or feed contamination by early detection. The WVDL will and has participated in sample analysis for the FDA/Vet-LIRN, which can be submitted for surveillance, during an animal food/drug emergency outbreak or during a large- scale animal food/drug emergency event for surge capacity. We will use standardized methods, the same equipment platforms and report methods using standardized worksheets and electronic results. Electronic result reporting already occurs through our LIMS to our clients, but also our LIMS can report to NALHN. We also have automated data reporting for reportable diseases to our state veterinarian. Our laboratory will participate in the standardization of protocols and standard operating procedures (SOP) that will be used for analysis. The personnel that will be involved will be fully trained and training logs will be maintained within the laboratory electronic system. All personnel will take and pass proficiency tests that will be administered internally by the WVDL or externally by the CVM. We will focus on culturing of veterinary samples such as tissues, feces, milk, swabs and animal intestinal contents for the presence of pathogenic bacteria and viruses and identification of the agents. We will also accept and analyze animal feed and environmental samples for the presence of chemical compounds. Results will be stored at the WVDL database and shared with the CVM as often as required. Samples that arrive at the WVDL will be routed through the receiving room and examined for integrity and accuracy of the submission form. Accession number will be created for each sample and the samples will be logged into the WVDL laboratory information system with pertinent information and distributed to the appropriate section based on the tests requested to be performed. Each sample will be assigned a case coordinator who will ensure that the requested test is accurately performed and timely reported.
