Gary Anderson: "Surveillance requires high-throughput capabilities and rigorous attention to standard operating procedures if we are going to obtain accurate results early, quickly and routinely."
Kansas State University (K-State) is to train technicians in the US's latest exotic animal disease strategy. 
Photo: K-State
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, a network of 45 diagnostic laboratories, each with particular capabilities. In the event of an exotic animal disease outbreak, the network would be able to process thousands of samples, reducing the time taken to stamp out a possible epidemic. K-State is the only laboratory in Kansas that is a member of the network; its testing capabilities include avian influenza, Newcastle disease, classical swine fever and foot and mouth disease.
K-State has developed laboratory techniques using robotics to speed the diagnosis and increase the reliability of animal health testing. Lab director Gary Anderson comments: "We chose to enhance the molecular diagnostic section of the lab because genetic/DNA/molecular technologies are at the foundation of high-throughput capabilities."
This June, K-State staff, along with personnel from the USDA and other government bodies, will train laboratory leaders from around the US in the new techniques. Mr Anderson says: "The National Animal Health Laboratory Network emphasizes the significance and need for animal disease surveillance, which is critical to public health, food safety, national security and economic viability. Surveillance requires high-throughput capabilities such as robotics and rigorous attention to standard operating procedures if we are going to obtain accurate results early, quickly and routinely."
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