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1. FDA Grants First Marketing Rights for Anthrax Point-of-Care Test to InBios
Test can be used by military and healthcare professionals with results in ~20 minutes.
PRWeb.com
March 1, 2023
Seattle - Given the possible severity of anthrax infection, early and fast diagnosis is key. InBios International, Inc., a leading developer of diagnostic tests for emerging infectious diseases and biothreats, has been granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) first marketing rights for an anthrax point-of-care (POC) test. This approval was granted through the FDA’s De Novo process for new medical devices or technology where there is no comparable device on the market. InBios’ Active Anthrax Detect™ Plus Rapid Test for pulmonary anthrax is for use as an aid in the diagnosis of inhalation anthrax, which occurs by breathing in anthrax spores and is the deadliest form of the disease. This test produces results in about 20 minutes and is intended for use by military personnel, medical and/or healthcare professionals only.
This in vitro immunochromatographic assay provides visual and rapid qualitative detection of the Bacillus anthracis lethal factor protein and can be used to test serum and venous whole blood (dipotassium EDTA, sodium citrate and sodium heparin) from individuals who have signs and symptoms consistent with inhalation anthrax and a likelihood of exposure. While a positive Active Anthrax Detect™ Plus Rapid Test result is presumptively diagnostic for B. anthracis infection, diagnosis of infection must be based on history, signs, symptoms, exposure likelihood, and additional laboratory evidence.
Clinical performance determined that the test had a negative percent agreement (NPA) of 100% and a positive percent agreement (PPA) of >98%. The specificity study (NPA) was conducted at three POC clinical sites in the United States, while the sensitivity (PPA) of the test was evaluated using contrived positive serum samples.
Full text: https://www.prweb.com/releases/2023/3/prweb19198039.htm
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2. State Vet Issues Updated Poultry Show Guidance [CO]
Coloradans Urged To Join Webinar on Avian Influenza
Posted by Ark Valley Voice Staff
ASrk Valley Voice
March 1, 2023
Because Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues to present a threat to birds across Colorado, the Colorado State Veterinarian’s office has issued updated guidance for poultry events, such as swaps, meets, and competitions. The guidance asks poultry owners to increase safety precautions and biosecurity practices, monitor their flocks for illness, and report any sick or dead birds to the State Veterinarian’s Office.
The State Veterinarian’s Office will hold an informational webinar: “What you should know about Avian Influenza” from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 that is open to anyone to attend. New poultry owners and people interested in learning more about HPAI and how to protect their flocks are encouraged to attend.
“The most important thing poultry owners can do right now to protect their birds from avian influenza is to improve their safety and biosecurity by keeping their flock away from wild birds, separating and monitoring any new birds for at least 14 days, and reporting any abnormal sickness or death events to our office,” said Colorado State Veterinarian Dr. Maggie Baldwin.
The public can submit their questions ahead of time and register for the webinar at ag.colorado.gov/hpai.
Full text: https://arkvalleyvoice.com/state-vet-issues-updated-poultry-show-guidance/
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3. Now China reports TWO human cases of bird flu in middle-aged man and woman hundreds of miles apart — amid fears of zoonotic outbreak
By Caitlin Tilley, Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com
Daily Mail
March 2, 2023
China has reported two human cases of bird flu in a man and woman more than 800 hundreds miles apart — amid growing concerns the virus is poised to spill over intopeople and cause a pandemic.
The 53-year-old woman from the Jiangsu province in eastern China tested positive last month for the H5N1 strain that has been devastating the world's bird
Meanwhile, Chinese health officials announced that a 49-year-old man in southern China's Guangdong province tested positive for H5N6 after coming into contact with live birds.
There is nothing to suggest that the two China cases are connected, nor that any strain of bird flu has jumped from human-to-human.
Officials have also now confirmed that the cases in Cambodia came from poultry and were not spread person-to-person.
Furthermore, the cases in Cambodia were caused by H5N1 clade 2.3.2.1c, an older variant which is endemic to wild birds and poultry in the country.
The female Chinese patient started experiencing symptoms after eating chicken on January 31, and tested positive for H5N1 sometime in February.
Her current state is unknown and little information has been released.
Genetic sequencing in China found that the case was due to the H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b — the avian flu strain currently devastating bird populations globally and which has infected many birds and mammals since 2021.
Full text: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11812571/China-reports-TWO-human-cases-bird-flu-middle-aged-man-woman-hundreds-miles-apart.html
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4. Idaho horse aborts pregnancy due to EHV-1; Strangles confirmed in Washington horse
Idaho horse aborts pregnancy due to EHV-1
The sick horse lives in Gem County, where six additional cases are suspected and 25 horses are exposed.
By EDCC Health Watch
Equus Magazine
March 1, 2023
A mare at a private facility in Gem County, Idaho, aborted a pregnancy in late February. On February 27, it was confirmed that the abortion was caused by EHV-1 (wild-type) infection, despite all horses on the property being current on all recommended vaccinations.
In recent weeks, several other mares on the property also gave birth to weak foals or experienced unexpected pregnancy loss. EHV-1 diagnosis has not been confirmed in these horses. None of the horses on the property have left or arrived at the premises recently.
In total, six horses are suspected positive for EHV-1, and 25 horses are exposed. The affected horses are under voluntary quarantine.
Full text: https://equusmagazine.com/news/eq-edcc-health-watch/idaho-horse-aborts-pregnancy-due-to-ehv-1/
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Strangles confirmed in Washington horse
The horse resides in Pierce County, where four additional cases are suspected.
By EDCC Health Watch
Equus Magazine
March 1, 2023
A horse at a private facility in Pierce County, Washington, has tested positive for strangles. Four additional cases are suspected. The horses are under veterinary care, and the owner has them quarantined.
Full text: https://equusmagazine.com/news/eq-edcc-health-watch/strangles-confirmed-in-washington-horse-2/
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5. USAHA Southern Animal Health Assoc. (SAHA) Annual Meeting
2023 Annual Meeting
June 12-15, 2023
Charlottesville, VA
Virginia is thrilled to provide you a warm welcome as we invite you to Charlottesville, VA to join us for the 2023 Southern Animal Health Association (SAHA) Annual Meeting! The meeting will open with a welcome reception on Monday, June 12th, and continue Tuesday, June 13th, through Thursday, June 15th.
This program is packed with a diverse range of topics, including avian influenza management, animal disease traceability, animal disease preparedness activities, and supporting discussion for these and many other topics.
To register, visit https://connect.gomembers.com/f/fid.php?id=0bcf6c9b1c404dd7951886c32b9694b2.
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6. SHIC applauds increased USDA ASF outreach [edited]
Protect Our Pigs awareness campaign was designed to support commercial pork producers, veterinarians, and pig owners, by providing information and resources.
National Hog Farmer
March 1, 2023
Following detection of African swine fever in the Caribbean in 2021, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service further increased efforts to protect U.S. swine from the transboundary disease. Two outreach campaigns designed to increase awareness were launched. The Swine Health Information Center appreciates their work to target international travelers as well as pork producers, veterinarians and pig owners. The following overview of activities was provided by APHIS.
In 2022, as part of their international traveler campaign, APHIS placed signs in 10 international airports (Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco, Newark, Houston, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Des Moines). Signs encouraged travelers not to bring prohibited pork products into the United States. In an announcement, USDA said, "APHIS identified these airports through a pathway risk analysis that showed they present the highest risk of passengers transporting potentially infected, prohibited products."
The second campaign, APHIS' Protect Our Pigs awareness campaign, was designed to support commercial pork producers, veterinarians and pig owners, by providing information and resources to help safeguard the US pork industry. APHIS recognizes these stakeholders as the first line of defense against ASF domestically.
Full text: https://www.nationalhogfarmer.com/news/shic-applauds-increased-usda-asf-outreach
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7. Opening of Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Fiscal Year 2023 Application Cycle
NIFA
March 1, 2023
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) announces the opening of the fiscal year (FY) 2023 application cycle. NIFA anticipates that approximately $10 million in funding will be available in FY23 to help mitigate food animal veterinary service shortages in the United States. VMLRP helps qualified veterinarians offset a significant portion of the debt incurred in pursuit of their veterinary medical degrees in return for their service in certain high-priority veterinary shortage areas.
The VMLRP supports NIFA’s Animal Systems portfolio by facilitating professional workforce development in critical agricultural sectors related to animal health and well-being. The program contains two general categories of participation:
Mitigation of private veterinary practice shortage situations.
Mitigation of public veterinary practice and specialty veterinary discipline shortage situations.
VMLRP awardees commit to providing at least three years of food animal veterinary services in a designated veterinary shortage area in return for payments of up to $25,000 of student loan debt per year with a maximum of $75,000 for a three-year contract. VMLRP awardees are eligible to reapply to continue to serve their originally awarded shortage situation area in the last year of their contract or one year after their contract ends.
The VMLRP Request for Applications (RFA) and the 2023 veterinary shortage situations are now available. A new requirement this year is a Letter of Intent (LOI). Specific instructions are available in the VMLRP RFA. The deadline for LOI is April 3, 2023, and the application deadline is April 17, 2023.
NIFA encourages interested applicants to view the informational webinars before starting the application process. Informational webinars are provided below.
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Overview
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Application Process for Program Documents
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Application Process for Loan Documents
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Review Process Webinar
Choosing a Veterinary Shortage Situation Webinar
VMLRP staff will host two live FAQ sessions which will occur on:
March 16, 2023, from 4:00 – 5:00 PM EST
Register here
March 28, 2023, from 4:00 – 5:00 PM EST
Register here
Please share this email announcement with stakeholders in your network. Please refer to the VMLRP Annual Report for more information about the program.
Questions about the VMLRP application process may be sent by email to [email protected]
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