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The NAHLN Update |2016| 
Volume 7, No. 1

 

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL ANIMAL HEALTH LABORATORY NETWORK (NAHLN)
A STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP TO SAFEGUARD ANIMAL HEALTH

Founding Principles and Features of the NAHLN 

 

  • Quality management standards
  • Competency of laboratory personnel
  • Standardized diagnostic techniques
  • Reference materials and equipment
  • Secure communications and reporting system
  • Adequate facilities to ensure biosafety/biosecurity levels
  • Assessment of preparedness through scenario testing
     

 

Quick Links

 NVSL
 

 

For quick viewing, click below on the articles that interest you!

 

In This Issue
Message from NAHLN Leadership
NAHLN Restructure
NAHLN Portal Update
NAHLN Laboratory Director Feature
Quality Management Systems Training
Getting to Know Us
Acronym Key

 Events in 2016 

August 5-9, 2016

2016 American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention

San Antonio, TX


 
October 13-19, 2016

USAHA/AAVLD Annual Meeting

Greensboro, NC
 

 December 4-6

2016 Conference of Research Workers in Animal Disease (CRWAD) Annual Meeting

Chicago, IL

 

 

Message from NAHLN Leadership  
 
Happy Spring!
Our top priority for the past few months has been ensuring successful implementation for the Network restructure, which you can read about in detail below. The restructure has been a significant milestone for NAHLN that has been the result of dedication and input from many groups over the course of a number of years. We'd like to take this opportunity to recognize the contribution of their hard work throughout the last several years.
Specifically this includes: many strategy sessions of the past and current members of the NAHLN Coordinating Council with representation from the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) and the National Assembly of Animal Health Officials; input and support from the AAVLD/US Animal Health Association (USAHA) Joint Committee on NAHLN; close collaboration with our colleagues in the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Animal Systems Program; support from Veterinary Services (VS) and National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) Leadership; and of course the tireless dedication of our own NAHLN Program Office staff to make this happen. Thank you all!
We also continue all of our other activities in NAHLN such as planning and preparing for the upcoming annual Quality Management Systems training; supporting VS surveillance program needs; maintaining support for our member laboratories; and continuing to address preparedness needs. We continue to work with VS, laboratories and other external stakeholders on planning for NAHLN's role in upcoming initiatives such as implementation of the national List of Reportable Animal Diseases, the emerging disease framework and antimicrobial resistance.
 
 

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NAHLN Restructure
  • Background on process
    The 2012 concept paper described a new structure for NAHLN and provided criteria for each level of laboratory, as well as new processes such as periodic review of the levels. This new NAHLN structure preserves the oversight, leadership, administration, and roles and responsibilities for the Network. At the same time, it gives the NAHLN added flexibility to respond to national animal health testing needs, and clarifies the roles and responsibilities of network members. The number of laboratories in each level was not explicitly defined, except for reference to meeting the national 'need', as determined based on geographic distribution, population density of animals, farm gate values, risk of FAD introductions, etc. In 2014, a plan for transitioning to the restructured network was outlined by the NAHLN Coordinating Council.
  •   
  • The steps of the transition plan:
  • 1) Self- Assessment (Completed September 2014): Each NAHLN laboratory provided their assessment of which level (as defined by the Concept Paper) their lab best fit, based on current capabilities, resources, commitment by State, and other relevant considerations.
  •   
  • 2) External Review (Completed December 2014 and June 2015): APHIS and NIFA reviewed the laboratory Self-Assessments, previous accomplishment reports, past performance, and other pertinent information to verify the information. Laboratories were provided the opportunity to update their information as of June 2015.

  • 3) Needs Evaluation (Completed April 2015): Factors such as geography, animal distribution, commodity demographics, capacity evaluations, current lab level, etc. were incorporated into an analysis to help inform the new structure.

    4) Recommendations for Laboratory Distribution (April-September 2015): Based on all of the information gathered and analyses performed in Steps 1-3, APHIS and NIFA, in consultation with the NAHLN Coordinating Council, made recommendations on laboratory distribution to the VS and NIFA Deputy Administrators. The recommendations were approved and final restructuring was implemented in early 2016 in accordance with USDA funding cycles.

    To assist in evaluating the analyses performed in Steps 1-3, the NAHLN Program Office developed a decision matrix. The NAHLN Coordinating Council agreed to use as a tool in the decision-making process objective and justifiable. The main criteria are based on the concept paper, self-assessment and key NAHLN mission factors. The Coordinating Council provided input on weighting of the main criteria and the internal specifics of the matrix. Information from the self-assessment, external reviews and needs assessment were input into the decision matrix to obtain a score for each lab. The Coordinating Council completed the process without knowledge of lab names or their rankings to ensure their objectivity.

    A combination of minimum criteria identified on the Concept Paper and percentage of total points on the decision matrix were used to determine each laboratory's level.

    Requirements for laboratory levels
    Beginning in 2016, all laboratories in the NAHLN will now be designated as Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Affiliate or Specialty laboratories. The NVSL laboratories in Ames, IA and Plum Island, NY will continue to serve as the nation's reference laboratories for both USDA and the NAHLN. Please refer to NAHLN Concept Paper  for specific requirements for each level. 

    Level 1 Laboratory:
    • Must meet the minimum criteria specified in the Concept Paper including: full AAVLD accreditation and/or accreditation to ISO 17025 standard; functional BSL3 space; and have the capability to electronically send diagnostic test results to APHIS databases;
    • Must have obtained 90% or more of the total points available in the decision matrix.
      Level 2 Laboratory:
    • Must meet the minimum criteria specified in the Concept Paper including having at least AAVLD accreditation;
    • Must have obtained 60% or more of the total points available in the decision matrix.
       Level 3 Laboratory:
    •   Must have NAHLN approval and work under a NAHLN-approved quality management system overseen by a quality manager.
    Affiliate Laboratory:
    • Is a publicly-funded laboratory that must have NAHLN approval and work under a NAHLN-approved quality management system overseen by a quality manager;
    • May occasionally perform NAHLN-related testing;
    • Must meet other requirements specified in the Concept Paper.
    Specialty Laboratory:
    • Is a private or commercial enterprise that provides diagnostic capabilities that do not exist at needed capacities within the NAHLN;
    • Demonstrates an operational relationship with a NAHLN laboratory or NVSL and State Animal Health Official within that State;
    • Must meet other requirements specified in the Concept Paper.
    Reassessment
    As specified by the Concept Paper, the new structure provides an opportunity for reassessment of the laboratories and network on a regular basis. Each year, laboratories can report significant changes in capacity and capability that will be considered for the next year's structure. Every 3 years, NAHLN will conduct a full network assessment. This allows laboratories to provide more detailed updates to their information, as well as for USDA and the Coordinating Council to adjust any of the criteria used for evaluating laboratories and assess any significant change in network needs. The reassessment may result in adjustments to the overall number of laboratories per level, funding amounts per laboratory and/or laboratory designation.
      
    Funding
    Both APHIS and NIFA will continue to provide infrastructure support. However, infrastructure support will now be provided for all Level 1, 2 and 3 laboratories. Additionally, network funding will be distributed on a percentage basis of available USDA infrastructure funds; previously funding was a fixed amount per laboratory. Distribution of the funding will be based on the combined percentage of testing capacity for foreign animal disease (FAD) and surveillance testing that each level provides and then divided equally among all laboratories in that level.

    Summary of NAHLN Restructure Outcome for 2016
    As a result of the restructure, the current number of NAHLN laboratories at each level in 2016 is:
    • 11 Level 1 laboratories
    • 27 Level 2 laboratories
    • 13 Level 3 laboratories
    • 0 Specialty laboratories
      
    Article submitted by Christina M. Loiacono, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Associate Coordinator, NAHLN Program Office,  USDA APHIS VS STAS NVSL, Ames, IA. Beth Harris, M.S., PhD., Associate Coordinator, NAHLN Program Office, USDA APHIS VS STAS NVSL, Ames, IA and Sarah M. Tomlinson, DVM, NAHLN Coordinator, USDA APHIS VS STAS NVSL, Fort Collins, CO..


    NAHLN Portal Update
    During 2016, the NAHLN Program Office is offering a series of webinar training events to highlight different aspects of the NAHLN Portal, and how laboratories may use the Portal for various activities. In January, we hosted two webinars on Proficiency Tests, highlighting how labs can use the Portal to register, manage their PTs, enter PT results and receive pass/fail notifications.  In February, a 2nd webinar covered information on the management of NAHLN laboratories' quarterly and annual reporting requirements, including the annual NAHLN agreement cycle, quarterly laboratory data verifications and annual USDA-owned equipment verifications.
     
    Two additional Portal training modules are being developed for later this summer and fall. The first of these webinars will cover information used by the NAHLN laboratories for their annual self-assessment requirement as part of the NAHLN restructure, plus an overview of the equipment and assay tracking modules in the Portal, and how the laboratories can use these features to track performance of their assays over time. The last of our webinar series will focus on using the Portal to manage funding agreements.
     
    For those who may have missed our initial webinars, the slide sets and Q&A sessions have been posted to the Portal in the General Library section. Here's a quick overview on how to access them:

    Article submitted by:  Beth Harris, M.S., PhD., Associate Coordinator, NAHLN Program Office, USDA APHIS VS STAS NVSL, Ames, IA.

    NAHLN Laboratory Director Feature
     
    Featured NAHLN Laboratory Director:   
    Joan Smyth DVM, MPH

     
    Academic/Laboratory Background:               
    Dr. Joan Smyth Laboratory Director Connecticut Veterinary Medical Laboratory
    Dr. Joan Smyth graduated with a degree in Veterinary Medicine & Surgery from University College Dublin, Ireland, and at the same time was admitted to The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, United Kingdom. She served for a short period first in Small Animal practice followed by mixed mainly Large Animal practice. She joined the Veterinary Sciences Division (Stormont Laboratory) of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland as a Veterinary Pathologist.
     
    "I worked there for some 20 years and headed the Pathology Department for approximately 8 years. During my time there, I obtained a PhD and became a Diplomate of the European college of Veterinary Pathologists. There were 5 major areas of focus: diagnostic veterinary pathology (agricultural species including fish, with a small number of wildlife, zoo species and occasional companion animals), statutory pathological examinations (e.g. BSE, tuberculosis, forensic examinations), research pathology, advisory work and a small amount of university teaching. In the latter years, I was heavily involved in contingency planning for dealing with exotic diseases both within the Laboratory and for working with the Veterinary Division of the Department of Agriculture. I then came to the University of Connecticut, where the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Laboratory (CVMDL) operates. I worked here first as a Senior Veterinary Pathologist, and became Laboratory Director January 2014."

     
      Is there anything unique in your career that you'd like to share?
    "Discovering new diseases, researching these and working to develop diagnostics and control strategies has been a very enjoyable part of my career. One discovery, made during my PhD studies, that proved noteworthy in the context of spread of important infectious agents from poultry was that egg content could be a source of infectious agent. Additionally, I have worked directly on diagnosing multiple emerging and exotic disease outbreaks during my time in N. Ireland including Newcastle Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreaks, BSE, introductions of new disease such as EAE and Jaagsiekte of sheep, vvMarek's Disease, vvIBD, seal and porpoise morbilliviral disease, eradication of diseases such as Aujeszky's disease."
     
    Do you have any hobbies that you'd like to share with us?
    I enjoy ice hockey and cycling.

    Lastly, why is NAHLN important to you?
    "There are several very important benefits of being a NAHLN member. I particularly value the promotion and support by NAHLN for Quality Assurance (e.g. PT tests, Training workshops), and the fact that NAHLN helps to coordinate and standardize responses nationwide. I also think it is important for the State of Connecticut to be represented by a national network."
     
    Welcome to the NAHLN, Dr. Joan Smyth!
     
    Article submitted by Traci Imlau, Program Assistant, NAHLN Program Office, USDA APHIS VS STAS NVSL, Ames, IA.
    Quality Management Systems Training
      
    The original Quality Management System (QMS) course in 2010 was developed to assist the NAHLN laboratories in implementing and continually improving quality management systems; it has since expanded to assist other laboratory networks and international colleagues. The NAHLN Program Office and AAVLD trainers will provide QMS training, July 12-15, 2016, to approximately 55 participants from the NAHLN Laboratories across the United States. The three-and-a-half day training provided an interactive class environment that included topics such as: quality management system requirements, document control, internal auditing, corrective actions, root cause analysis, and a mock audit. Additionally, the development and expanded use of the on-line QMS training-- a collaboration between AAVLD, Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and NAHLN--continues in 2016 and will be on-going in the next year.

    Article submitted by Christina M. Loiacono, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Associate Coordinator, NAHLN Program Office,  USDA APHIS VS STAS NVSL, Ames, IA.
    Getting to Know Us - Tari Moody

    Tari Moody

    Management and Program Analyst, National Animal Health Laboratory Network

    USDA APHIS VS STAS NVSL

    Tari Moody became the Management and Program Analyst for NAHLN Program Office in December, 2015. Her Federal career began in December 2000 as a Laboratory Control Assistant and Laboratory Technician in the National Veterinary Services Laboratories-Pathobiology Laboratory. In April, 2010, she moved to the NAHLN Program Office as a Program Assistant before taking on her current role.
    As the NAHLN Management and Program Analyst, Tari is responsible for monitoring the overall NAHLN budget, as well as managing the blanket purchase agreement (BPA) funding mechanisms used to carry out most of the diagnostic testing conducted through NAHLN. Tari also regularly generates numerous internal and external budget and testing reports related to NAHLN expenditures. She led the NAHLN Program Office effort in assembling the annual reports for each laboratory for several years.
    Tari grew up in Ames, Iowa and still lives there with her husband, Mike, and 3 kids, Madison (17), Michael (15) and Meredith (10). She enjoys spending time reading and running. Tari has run many 5K races, one 20K and 3 half marathons
    On behalf of the NAHLN Program Staff, thank you Tari, for all that you do. We are excited to have you in your new position!
      Article submitted by Traci Imlau, Program Assistant, NAHLN Program Office, USDA APHIS VS STAS NVSL, Ames, IA.
    NAHLN Facts
      
    Archived issues of  The NAHLN Update.

    The following links show a map and laboratory list of the laboratories that have been approved as part of the NAHLN testing network (including NVSL):

    AI Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    ASF Testing Laboratories: Map and Laboratory List
    BSE Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    CWD/Scrapie IHC Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    CWD ELISA Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    CSF Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    FMD Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    IAV-S Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    ISA Testing Laboratories: Map and Laboratory List
    NDV Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    PRV Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    VHS Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    VSV Testing Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List 
    Original 12 NAHLN Laboratories:  Map and Laboratory List
    For more information on the NAHLN, visit the NAHLN Homepage

    Acronym Key


    Click Here for Volume 7, No. 1 Acronym Key 

     

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