FDA Vet-LIRN Site Application –AgriLife and the Texas A&M University System

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PROJECT SUMMARY Foodborne illness causes significant morbidity and mortality each year in the United States. Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria, all cause infections in people and animals. Although human foodborne illness is usually associated with the consumption of contaminated food, pets can be direct and indirect sources of bacterial pathogens. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Veterinary Laboratory Integrated Response Network (Vet-LIRN) Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Cooperative Agreement Program is designed to promote human and animal health by providing scientific information and building laboratory capacity for routine and emergency response for investigation of outbreaks and to investigate problems with animal feeds and drugs. Detection of outbreaks requires the ability to collect samples from geographically diverse areas. Texas is home to 25 million people, second only to California in human population, and leads the nation in horse and cattle populations. It is therefore important to understand the dynamics of foodborne diseases among animals and people within the State of Texas. Texas A&M University is home to the only College of Veterinary Medicine in Texas. The Texas A&M University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Clinical Microbiology Laboratory currently serves as a FDA Vet-LIRN Laboratory. Members of the laboratory have helped to develop Vet- LIRN methods for detection of Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni, participated in proficiency testing, and collecting and analyzing samples as part of Vet-LIRN investigations. The objective of this proposal is to provide infrastructure in Texas to support collection and testing of samples from pets to support the FDA Vet-LIRN mission of protecting human and animal health by prompt recognition of outbreaks and testing of samples associated with outbreaks as well as surveillance assignments as needed by the Vet-LIRN Program Office.