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ADDL Annual Statistical Report
Director’s Report |
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Since 1947, the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) at Purdue University has maintained a proud tradition of providing quality veterinary diagnostic services to the state and region. The fical years of 2002 and 2003 were indeed busy in the ADDL and saw many accomplishments.
This period saw the culmination of the elimination of pseudorabies from the Indiana swine population. The eradication of this disease in Indiana was a combined effort resulting from the hard work and cooperation of the Indiana State Veterinarian, the Board of Animal Health, practicing veterinarians in the state, Indiana pork producers, the offi ce of the United States Department of Agriculture Area Veterinarian in Charge, and the ADDL. The ADDL conducted millions of blood tests for the disease since the eradication program was initiated in 1979. This required the time and talent of many technicians who performed these tests and provided prompt results to the submitting owners and veterinarians. Dr. Chuck Kanitz, retired ADDL virologist, provided research that contributed to the understanding of pseudorabies in swine. He also made recommendations to the BOAH swine committee, and oversaw the ADDL virology lab.
During the spring, summer, and fall months of 2002, the ADDL was busy in support of diagnosis and surveillance of West Nile Virus (WNV) infections in animals and birds. During this time, our state saw deaths of many horses and birds attributable to WNV infection. Due to several factors, the incidence of WNV infection during the same months of 2003 was markedly reduced compared to 2002. Immunity due to the vaccination of a large portion of the state’s equine population and natural immunity in portions of our bird population to reduce the amount of virus available for spread to human or animal populations in our state had a major impact on reducing the incidence during 2003.
In the fall of 2002, the ADDL helped collect tissues from over 3,300 hunter-killed deer, of which over 1,000 samples were tested for the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) of deer and elk. All samples tested negative for this prion-caused illness that was fi rst found in Colorado and has since been found in states as close as Wisconsin and Illinois. Samples were collected from deer in 2003 and tested to determine with reasonable certainty if CWD existed in the Indiana deer population. To date, no sound scientifi c evidence has been found anywhere to verify transfer of CWD from deer or elk to humans. As the epidemiologic investigations of the disease up to now suggest, however, if the disease spreads to Indiana deer, it will be diffi cult if not impossible to eradicate. The Indiana State Veterinarian and the Indiana Board of Animal Health have adopted several rules restricting the movement of captive deer and elk in attempt to stop the introduction of CWD into our state.
The ADDL continues to move forward in adopting and adapting new diagnostic technology. Primarily through the efforts of Drs. Ramesh Vemulapalli and Ching Ching Wu, rapid new tests using polymerase chain reaction methods are available for many bacterial and viral diseases. During the latter part of fi scal year 2003, our virology section was busy running fl uorescent antibody tests for the presence of Bovine Virus Diarrhea (BVD) persistently infected (PI) cattle from skin samples. It has been determined that the presence of BVD persistently infected animals among a group of cattle is very damaging to the group. Testing and removal of these PI animals is very economically beneficial. The ADDL was fortunate to have funding restored during the Indiana legislative session in 2003 to fill two vacant virology and pathology faculty positions in the Laboratory because of a funding cut in 2002. The ADDL and the animal owning public of the state are very grateful for reinstatement of the funds.
The ADDL strives to provide the best and most accurate diagnostic services for livestock, poultry, companion animals, and fi sh and wildlife. And, we will continue to prepare for new animal health threats. There are at least 10 new diseases in animals and birds that that did not exist 20 years ago. Some of these diseases have relevance to human health in that they can be transferred from animals to people. It is our goal to provide assistance to help maintain the health of animals and also contribute to the health of the public. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide these services.
Thacker, H. Leon,
Director of ADDL |
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2002 & 2003 Annual Report 
