National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) Technical Assistance on AI Diagnostics

APHIS NVSL assisted the Dominican Republic National Veterinary Laboratory (DRNVL) in implementing transcription -polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for avian influenza in 2013.

Since then, the DRNVL has tested hundreds of samples under the DR Avian Influenza (AI) and Newcastle national surveillance program.

On September 30th, 2017 abnormal mortality and egg drop production were reported in one poultry farm located in the largest poultry production region in the Dominican Republic.

DRNVL confirmed AI through testing and sent samples were to NVSL in Ames, Iowa, for confirmatory testing, where H5N2 was confirmed.

The DR veterinary authorities requested an urgent conference call with NVSL-Ames experts to address some concerns regarding problems and inconsistencies with the DRNVL AI diagnostics.

NVSL- Ames immediately donated PCR reagents to DRNVL and provided technical assistance first through email and phone calls and then through a visit to address the problems on site.