About WADDL
Mission
Since its creation in 1974,
the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory's (WADDL) primary
objective has been to serve the state of Washington. The laboratory is an
integral part of a network of tax-supported state diagnostic reference
facilities throughout the U.S. dedicated to the betterment of animal and
human health. WADDL has a responsibility to provide appropriate, timely
results to safeguard the health of livestock, pets, poultry, and fish in the
Pacific Northwest and to protect the public from zoonotic diseases. Advice
and consultation are provided to practicing veterinarians, animal industry
groups, state and federal regulatory officials, and physicians.
Service
In 1979, WADDL was the first laboratory in the western United States to
achieve accredited full service laboratory status under the auspices of the
American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The laboratory
has been re-accredited continuously since.
WADDL includes a main
laboratory located on the Pullman campus, and the Avian Health Laboratory
located on the campus of the Western Washington Regional Extension Center in
Puyallup, Washington. WADDL provides essential laboratory services in
bacteriology, parasitology, pathology, serology, toxicology (through the
Analytical Sciences Laboratory, University of Idaho), and virology. The
laboratory responds to requests from all 39 counties in Washington, most
counties in Idaho and, to a lesser degree, all Pacific Northwest States as
well as Alaska and Hawaii. Annual requests for all laboratory services total
over 13,600 accessions, resulting in 179,000 laboratory examinations. In
addition to providing service to the private sector, the laboratory services
the WSU veterinary teaching hospital, university herds and flocks, WSU
laboratory animal programs, and the Field Disease Investigation Unit (FDIU)
. WADDL also provides centralized service for the college by providing
histology support.
National Animal Health Laboratory Network
The Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory is a founding member
of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Implemented in 2003, this
network of 12 regional laboratories is responsible for surveillance of and
response to exotic disease outbreaks affecting livestock. As a part of the
network, the WADDL works closely with USDA in developing, validating and
implementing high throughput molecular assays for eight different exotic
agents, all of which are considered high priority agroterrorist pathogens,
including Foot and Mouth Disease, Classical Swine Fever, Exotic Newcastle
Disease, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and others.
Map of regional laboratories (click to enlarge)
Teaching
Although WADDL does not have instructional department status, its faculty
provide instruction in the DVM and graduate programs. Senior students in the
professional curriculum receive valuable experience in all aspects of animal
disease diagnostics, disease investigation, and public health during a
month-long elective rotation in the diagnostic laboratory.
Graduate education is an integral part of WADDL faculty's academic
responsibilities. The dual training program in anatomic pathology and
research offered jointly by WADDL and the Department of Veterinary
Microbiology and Pathology has long had a leadership role in the training of
modern biomedical scientists and board certified veterinary pathologists. A
similar training program in veterinary microbiology was initiated in 1991
and is the only one of its kind in the United States.
Public Health and Zoonotic Diseases
In addition to diagnosis of zoonotic infectious diseases, which has
traditionally been a part of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic
Laboratory’s service, recently the laboratory has undertaken additional
public health service roles including microbiologic testing for pathogens
and for sanitation for food industry clients (done predominantly at the
Puyallup Avian Health and Food Safety Laboratory) and West Nile Virus
surveillance in partnership with the Washington State Department of Health.
In 2004, WADDL began collaboration with the Washington Department of Health
in surveying animal populations for zoonotic agents such as plague and
tularemia that may be endemically present in the state. In addition, WADDL
will be a central participant in the newly established, NIH-funded WSU
Zoonosis Research Unit in the investigation of food- and waterborne zoonotic
pathogens in Washington state.
Phone: 509-335-9696
waddl@vetmed.wsu.edu
