Aquatic Animal Health Program
"Our
mission is to improve the health of fish regionally, nationally, and
internationally." -Dr. Kevin Snekvik, WSU Ed McLeary Distinguished Professor
and fish health scientist
The Aquatic Animal Health program at WSU's College of Veterinary Medicine
works to improve the health of fish and other aquatic animals locally and
globally, through certification, diagnostics, student training, and advances in
scientific research.
Certification and Diagnostic Services
As U.S. aquaculture and global trade continue to expand, it is critical that
fisheries producers have access to laboratories that can perform certification
testing. Such testing helps ensure their products are free of disease causing
pathogens, such as the infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, that if undetected
could spread regionally, nationally, or internationally.
Through a collaborative effort by the
Washington Animal
Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL) and the
Department of Veterinary
Microbiology and Pathology (VMP), the Aquatic Animal Health program offers:
- Certification testing for fisheries producers and veterinarians.
- Diagnostic services for fisheries producers, veterinarians, Native American
tribes, state natural resource agencies, and the public.
Graduate Student Training
Our program trains veterinary, post-DVM anatomic pathology residents, and
graduate students to recognize and detect disease-causing finfish pathogens that
affect fish or fish egg production such as the infectious hematopoietic necrosis
virus and Myxobolus cerebralis, the causative agent of Whirling
disease. Students and residents also learn how these diagnoses can affect a
production facility, initiate responses from regulatory agencies, and possibly
impact interstate and international trade.
Research
Our scientists conduct research into disease-causing pathogens that have
economic importance to finfish (fish and fish eggs) production in Washington
State and the greater Northwest. We also collaborate with internationally
recognized researchers who engineer water recirculation systems for fish
production to ensure that the fish within these systems are healthy while
reducing the impact of their production on the environment.
Kevin Snekvik , DVM, Ph.D is the first Ed
McLeary Distinguished Professor in Aquatic
Health. He is
a diplomate of the American College of
Veterinary Pathologists, a clinical associate
professor in the Veterinary Microbiology and
Pathology department, and the Aquatic Animal
Health section head for the Washington Animal
Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. |
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