Project 04: Establishing networked serological testing capability for African swine fever
This project improved serological testing capability for ASF in Australia by harmonising quality assurance processes.
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Project 03: Developing lumpy skin disease and African horse sickness whole genome sequencing workflows
This project developed robust whole genome sequencing procedures for the early detection and characterisation of lumpy skin disease and African horse sickness viruses.
Project 01: Australian Biosecurity Genomic Database for notifiable animal viruses (Phase 2)
Phase 2 of this project developed a curated database of verified genomic viral sequences for notifiable aquatic animal disease viruses in Australia.
Project 36: National laboratory simulation exercise (Exercise Waterhole)
Overview
The desktop and functional exercises were completed with great success in 2023.
Project 18: National laboratory simulation exercise planning
Overview
The Subcommittee on Animal Health Laboratory Standards, through leadership of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and an expert consultant, have completed the process of finalising a business plan. The plan looks towards a national laboratory-focused simulation exercise.
The exercise was completed in 2023. It helped identify ways to improve surge capacity of the Australian animal health laboratory network in response to an emergency animal disease outbreak.
Project 11: Developing policies, strategies and operating guidelines for point-of-care testing for infectious disease
Overview
This project helped develop a nationally consistent management approach towards the use of POC tests. These tests are specific for nationally notifiable diseases in terrestrial and aquatic animals in Australia.
Project Lead: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Project Contact: animalhealthlaboratories@aff.gov.au
Project Status: Complete
Objective alignment:
Project 10: Developing an immunohistochemistry test for lumpy skin disease
Overview
This Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness project developed and characterised an IHC test for the diagnosis and investigation of LSDV infection.
Project Lead: Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness
Project Contact: animalhealthlaboratories@aff.gov.au
Project Status: Completed
Project Date: Completed in June 2023
Objective alignment:
Project 05: Sample Tracking and Reporting System enhancement
This project redeveloped the CSIRO Sample Tracking and Reporting System (STARS) network.
Project 58: Assessment of molecular DIVA capabilities for lumpy skin disease virus
Overview
This project assessed the performance of existing molecular ‘Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals’ (DIVA) assays that are based on real-time, or quantitative, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
Project Lead: Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness; Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Project Contact: Animalhealthlaboratories@aff.gov.au
Project Status: Complete
Project 59: Quality assurance for high-throughput sequencing as an infectious agent discovery tool
Overview
This project aims to establish standardised workflows for using HTS in infectious agent discovery. It will support relevant national diagnostic HTS operating guidelines and improve overall quality assurance. This allows for high confidence when interpreting HTS results.
Project Lead: Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness; Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Project Contact: Animalhealthlaboratories@aff.gov.au