Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The output was the enhancement of animal disease diagnostic capability, notably National Animal Health Laboratory Network sample handling, processing and testing capacities, including enhancement of biocontainment capabilities. For 2009-2010, the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory received $50,000. The laboratory purchased freezers, refrigerators and an ELISA washer for a new wing designed for high security, and repaired the incinerator. In 2010-2011, the federal Automated Standard Application for Payments System (ASAP) did not allow the laboratory to have access to the awarded $50,000, and it was rolled into 2011-2012, adding to the grant for that year for a total of $81,000. The money was spent on equipment (real-time PCR machine), reagents, supplies, services, maintenance and repairs, and travel to scientific meetings. PARTICIPANTS: Helen Acland, Deepanker Tewari and Lewis Newpher worked on this project. All are employees of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. TARGET AUDIENCES: This project makes the laboratory better about to serve the Pennsylvania animal agriculture community, and the national animal agriculture community via the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. The laboratory's ability to maintain accreditation by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians and registration in the Select Agent Program is strengthened. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There were many modifications, caused by the federal ASAP software not allowing access to the awarded $50,000 in 2010-2011 and the rolling of the funding into 2011-2012. Needs and opportunities changed in the year without NIFA funding. The following were in the 2010-2011 or 2011-2012 proposals, and were done in 2011-2012 at the proposed or different levels: obtaining medical examinations and fit testing for personal protective equipment, purchase of reagents, purchase of supplies, maintenance and repairs of equipment and instruments, travel. The following were in the 2010-2011 or 2011-2012 proposals, and were not done with NIFA funding: purchase of histology videoconferencing equipment, incinerator repairs. The following were not in the 2010-2011 or 2011-2012 proposals, and were accomplished in 2011-12: equipment purchase (real-time PCR machine), maintenance and repair of laboratory infrastructure. The modifications were approved by the Authorized Representative, Dr. Craig Shultz. All the changes are consistent with the objectives of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.

Impacts
The $131,000 funding over the 3 years has enabled the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory to make progress in equipping the new high security wing, to conduct maintenance and repair on the building infrastructure, equipment and instruments, to strengthen the ability to respond to high consequence animal diseases, and to support continued biosafety, biosecurity and biocontainment. These all play a part in the laboratory's efforts to sustain the quality assurance program, accreditation by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, membership of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and registration in the Select Agent Program. Equipment items purchased are refrigerators, freezers, an ELISA washer and a real-time PCR machine. Supplies purchased include personal protective equipment, reagents for proficiency testing for detection of Yersinia pestis, PCR reagents to prepare for an exercise in high throughput robotics, and printers, software and labels for bar coding specimens and forms. Another supply item is updated software for the continuous emissions monitoring system for the incinerator. Services purchased are: inspection and testing of the fire sprinkler system, loading and operating the incinerator, load testing a generator, certifying laboratory thermometers, and medical examinations and fit testing for respiratory personal protective equipment for staff members who work on NAHNL PCR tests. Maintenance and repairs were conducted on laboratory infrastructure, equipment and instruments. The infrastructure includes the incinerator, boilers, fire sprinkler system, and mobile BSL-3 laboratory. The equipment includes biological safety cabinets, band saws and freezers. The instruments include real-time PCR machines, an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, an antimicrobial sensitivity instrument, a histology automatic stainer, and a high throughput liquid handling robot for PCR or ELISA. Travel was for the following events: American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians Accreditation Committee meetings, quality assurance training at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories, and a prion immunohistochemistry stainer fair at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The new wing to thePennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory, designed to allow work under appropriate biosafety and biocontainment conditions on high consequence bacterial, viral and prion-containing diagnostic specimens was structurally completed in early 2010. The laboratory is being equipped with a full range of instrumentation. At the same time, the incinerator in the lower containment area of the laboratory is being maintained and refurbished for safe disposal of carcasses the rendering or composting contractors do not take. These improvements allow the laboratory to improve its function as a member of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. PARTICIPANTS: Helen Acland and Deepanker Tewari and Lewis Newpher worked on this project. All are employees of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. TARGET AUDIENCES: The project makes the laboratory better able to function as a member of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Also, the project enhances the quality program of the laboratory and strengthens our ability to maintain accreditation by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: As explained above, none of the $50,000 for 9/1/2010-8/31/2011 was spent. We wish to roll the funding over into 9/1/11 to 10/31/2012. Many of the goals in the initial proposal have been accomplished using other funds. Some of the original goals can still be accomplished (medical examinations, fit testing, purchase of laboratory supplies), some are renewable (equipment maintenance), and for any shortfall we will seek approval of the Authorized Representative for alternate projects consistent with the objectives of the NAHLN.

Impacts
In the 9/1/2009 to 8/31/2010 interval, the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory purchase refrigerators, freezers and an ELISA washer for the new laboratory wing. Also the primary burn chamber of the incinerator had its refractory replaced. For the 9/1/2010-8/31/2011 award, the ASAP system for the transfer of funds could not be brought into operation until July 2011. This had a severe impact on the ability of the laboratory to follow the plan. Two of the items in the proposal, approximately $20,000 worth of incinerator repairs and approximately $8,000 worth of equipment maintenance were done with other funds. Because the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania budget year ended on June 30, those expenditures could not be transferred to the NIFA award as planned. About a third of the planned $13,000 worth of supplies for the BSL-3 laboratory was purchased, but the expenditures similarly could not be transferred before the end of the state fiscal year. In the report sent 8/3/11, there was mention of the Authorized Representative having given approval to expand the scope of purchases for videoconferencing and digital photography to approximately $11,000, and mention if his having approved the purchase of a microscope objective and condenser for $1,700. These purchases were made in July-August 2011, but for unknown reasons they were not charged to the award. Thus the full $50,000 is unspent and we are requesting it be rolled over into the next year's funding. We will have no difficulty using the funding for needed purposes approved by the Authorized Representative consistent with the objectives of the NAHLN.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The new biological safety level 3 (BSL-3) wing of the laboratory, with its inbuilt systems and its instruments and equipment, will allow the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory to work on high consequence bacterial, viral or prion-containing diagnostic specimens under conditions of excellent biocontainment, biosafety and security. At the same time, safe disposal of animal carcasses that do not require BSL-3 handling has to continue, and the laboratory used NAHLN funding to refurbish the incinerator. PARTICIPANTS: Helen Acland and Deepanker Tewari worked on funding for and selection of equipment and instruments for the BSL-3 addition to the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory. Lewis Newpher worked on purchasing. All are employees of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. TARGET AUDIENCES: The new BSL-3 wing of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory will protect Pennsylvania agriculture from the ravages of foreign animal or zoonotic disease. The laboratory is a member of the NAHLN. When the NAHLN is mobilized in a disease outbreak of national concern, the BSL-3 wing of our laboratory will be used. In the older part of the laboratory, an operational incinerator is one of the tools used to achieve responsible disposal of laboratory waste including carcasses. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There were no major changes.

Impacts
Funding from the NAHLN was used for several essential equipment items for the new BSL-3 wing to the laboratory, such as freezers and refrigerators. The high biocontainment areas of the new wing will soon be operational, ready to serve Pennsylvania agriculture in an outbreak of foreign animal or zoonotic disease. In the older area of the laboratory, the incinerator had its refractory lining replaced and the hearth area of the primary burning chamber modified. We use the incinerator each week, to dispose of animals or birds that our rendering or composting contractors will not take or that we deem unwise to send to rendering or composting.

Publications

• No publications reported this period