As a result of this initiative, CEVR has entered into an agreement to conduct research with USDA's Plum Island Animal Disease Center off the Connecticut coast. The agreement will provide the partnership a means of working with viruses and other microorganisms that are not present in the U.S. but would represent major threats to animal populations if introduced to the mainland. Researchers at the University of Missouri have particular expertise in modeling large animal immune systems and novel approaches to the diagnosis of infectious disease. The university's Research Animal Diagnostic and Investigative Laboratory is a national leader in the diagnosis of infection and disease in laboratory animals. Geary says the collaboration between the two institutions is expected to lead to the development and commercialization of advanced vaccines and diagnostic applications to protect animals important to the U.S. and international economies.
Vaccines are the most cost-effective medical intervention to prevent death and disease.
Now we have a program to combine the research efforts of these two institutions to share resources and coordinate our efforts in a more focused and efficient manner. Despite advances in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry, infectious diseases continue to cause significant mortality in the U.S. food animal industry. Some viral diseases in animals also present risks to humans. The 1998 outbreak of Avian flu in Hong Kong, for example, killed 17 people and prompted the slaughter of 1.3 million chickens to control the spread of the disease.