Thirty-four AU Freshmen Pre-Vet students and group leaders toured the Auburn Diagnostic Laboratory on September 10. The group was part of a new program in the AU College of Agriculture to facilitate student success by creating learning communities of students with similar interests (UNIV-1100 First Year Seminar: Agriculture Pre-Vet Learning Community). The students represented undergraduate majors in animal and dairy science, poultry science, and fisheries. Dr. Dale Coleman is the course coordinator.

August 2009

On August 4, the Auburn lab welcomed a delegation of veterinarians from Peru to discuss poultry diagnostic procedures. Pictured above from left to right are - Dr. Francisco Rojo (Merial Select - Queretaro, Mexico); Dra. Janine Purbis and Dra. Blanca Talavera (Invetsa - Lima, Peru); Dra. Diana Castellanos and Dra. Mercedes Sialer (San Fernando - Lima, Peru), and Dr. Rafael Fernandez (Merial Select - Gainesville, GA).

The Auburn laboratory welcomes Ms. Ursula Wohlfert, HT, who joined the histology section in July. Ms. Wohlfert holds a BS from Auburn University (’03) and is a certified Histotechnician (ASCP).

The Auburn Lab is recruiting for one additional histotechnician; for more information, see: http://labs.alabama.gov/home/employment.

July 2009

The National Veterinary Services Laboratory announced on July 21, 2009, that the Serology laboratory at the Thompson-Bishop-Sparks State Diagnostic Lab had satisfactorily completed proficiency tests for bovine leukosis (BLV) and bluetongue (BT) for 2009. 

Ms. Yuko Kato, a native of Japan and a student at the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, http://www.rossu.edu/veterinary-school/ completed a two-week elective rotation at the Auburn lab in July. Ms. Kato is completing her 4th year clinical studies program at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. During the rotation, she worked with the pathologists in necropsy and histopathology, and observed testing throughout the laboratory.  For additional information about veterinary student elective rotations, contact the laboratory director (hoerrfj@auburn.edu).

Veterinary students participating in the Merck Merial Veterinary Scholars Research Program at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine toured the Auburn Laboratory on July 8, 2009. The goal of the program is to provide a high-quality research experience for 1st and 2nd year veterinary students.  The program sees to provide exposure in relevant areas of research to veterinary students so that they may practice a more learned and higher quality of medicine and be better equipped to integrate future research developments into a progressive practice of veterinary medicine. Dr. Mary Boudreaux, faculty sponsor, is shown above at far left. 

Dr. Joel Cline, Director of the J. B. Taylor Diagnostic Laboratory in Elba, was an invited speaker at the U. S. Poultry and Egg Association Breeder and Hatchery Clinic in Atlanta on July 15, 2009.  Dr. Cline spoke about several health issues of concern to poultry producers. 

Dr. Cline also recently addressed the Southeastern Gamebird Breeders and Hunting Preserve Association convention at Tybee Island, Georgia. He discussed effective interaction between the producer and the diagnostic laboratory.

Many of the submissions to the Elba laboratory come from poultry producers.  According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the value of poultry and eggs produced ranks Coffee County as the fourth largest producer in Alabama and the 33rd largest producer in the nation.  Coffee County also has the largest inventory of pen-reared quail in the state.

The Alabama Diagnostic Laboratories were represented in three presentations at the American Veterinary Medical Association meeting in Seattle Washington, July 11-15.

1. A Retrospective Study of the Correlation between Chicken Anemia Virus and Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J Infection in Broiler and Broiler breeder Chickens (A Poster). Lanqing Li, Michael R. Luther, Alicia Wise, and Frederic J. Hoerr.  Dr Li, Mr. Luther, and Ms. Wise work in the Molecular Diagnostic laboratory at the Thompson Bishop Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory in Auburn, AL.

2. Oropharnyngitis with Intralesional Dermatophilus-like Bacteria in a Breeder Chicken. Frederic J. Hoerr, Haroldo Toro, Heather Busby, and Sandra EwaldDr. Hoerr is Director and Heather Busby is Bacteriology Supervisor at the Thompson-Bishop-Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory in Auburn, AL.

3. Detection of Campylobacter jejuni DNA in Broiler Cecal Droppings by Polymerase Chain Reaction (A Poster).  Samuel P. Christenberry, Rick J. Meinersmann, John Glisson, Kristie Moore Dorsey, Charles M. Corsiglia. Dr. Christenberry is Director of the Hinton Mitchem Poultry Diagnostic Laboratory in Hanceville, AL.

Dr. Pablo Sansalone participated in poultry diagnostic training at the Thompson Bishop Sparks State Diagnostic Laboratory in Auburn, from June 29 to July 9, 2009. Dr. Sansalone is from Buenos Aires, Argentina where he provides poultry diagnostic and technical support services to poultry producers. The training was supported by a “Grant for Perfection” awarded to Dr. Sansalone by the Dr. Rodolpho M. Perotti Foundation in conjunction with the National Academy of Agronomy and Veterinary Science of Argentina.

MAY 2009

A retirement party for Mr. Eddie Jennings, Jr., Necropsy Technician, was held on May 28, 2009 at the Auburn Laboratory. Shown above, Dr. Fred Hoerr (left) presents Mr. Jennings with certificates of appreciation from Governor Riley and Commissioner Ron Sparks. Mr. Jennings, a Laboratory Technician III, worked in Necropsy for more than 33 years. He contributed substantially to livestock and poultry health, companion animal diagnosis, and to the public health and well-being. During his career, Mr. Jennings removed thousands of animal brains for rabies testing, which included many positive cases. He participated in numerous State-Federal disease control actions that required biosecure necropsy and carcass disposal. Mr. Jennings was the last active employee who worked with Dr. Charles S. Roberts, the first Director of the Alabama State Diagnostic Labs.

The Alabama State Diagnostic Laboratories will be closed Monday May 25 for Memorial Day, and Monday June 1 for Jefferson Davis’ Birthday. For more information see http://labs.alabama.gov/index.pl/schedule.

A temporary staffing shortage currently exists in the histology laboratory. We are doing our best to maintain regular case processing times, but some delays may occur (posted 5/11/09).

Dr. Lanqing Li, Michael Luther, and Alana Fulmer received notification that they have have passed their 2009 Avian Paramyxovirus-1 Matrix and Fusion Primer/probe sets and Avian Influenza test for the Matrix H7 and H5 primer/probe sets proficiency tests. The proficiency tests are required for conducting Newcastle disease and avian influenza testing within the USDA NVSL National Animal Health Network. May 1, 2009.