Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory director Jane Christopher-Hennings, and State Public Health veterinarian Russell Daly are available to comment on the avian influenza outbreak that has hit Midwest poultry producers.

Christopher-Hennings, who is also head of the SDSU Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, can be contacted at 605-688-5171 or [email protected].

Daly can be reached at 605-690-5306 or [email protected]. He is also the SDSU Extension veterinarian and a professor in the veterinary and biomedical sciences department.

Monday night ADRDL confirmed avian influenza at a commercial egg production operation in Minnesota.Because egg shipments go out at 6 a.m., the operators needed answers quickly. Results were available to the Minnesota producer the same evening that the samples arrived. This case is an example of how ADRDL staff have been working around the clock to provide producers same-day diagnostic results, according to Christopher-Hennings. The diagnostic testing takes three to four hours, depending on how many samples and how much processing is involved. To learn more about ADRDL, go to http://www.sdstate.edu/vs/adrdl/index.cfm

About the Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic LaboratorySince 1887, the South Dakota State University Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory has served the public by providing high quality veterinary diagnostic services as a means to promptly and accurately establish causes of animal health problems. Such diagnoses aid attending veterinarians and health officials in the treatment, control, prevention and surveillance of animal diseases, benefiting South Dakota and national livestock industries, other animal owners and public health. Research work involves basic and applied investigations that enhance the understanding of the induction of diseases in animals, the development of diagnostic methods for the detection of diseased animals, products for treatment or prevention of disease and management protocols for the control of disease.