The National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD), located in the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is part of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s National Centres for Animal Disease. NCFAD is co-located with the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory.
NCFAD provides scientific expertise and technologies for the prevention, detection, control and reporting of foreign animal diseases (FAD) and emerging animal diseases. The lab has diagnostic capabilities for a large number of FADs including, but not limited to: avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, and Nipah and Hendra virus infections.
The NCFAD has received designations by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)e as a reference laboratory for both highly pathogenic avian influenza and for classical swine fever, in recognition of excellence in diagnostic competency, test method development, validation, research, collaboration and training.
Mandate and Role
The mandate of the NCFAD is to provide scientific and laboratory services for the rapid and accurate identification and reporting of foreign animal diseases. The lab has five main functions: Testing services; technology development and research; training; scientific advice; and international consultation.
NCFAD staff are experts in tests to detect FAD agents, and they perform many of these tests on a routine basis to meet requirements for import, export, and domestic disease control - including surveillance, the provision of confirmatory testing of suspect material, and reference laboratory services. NCFAD scientists also undertake research to develop better testing technologies for FADs. Staff also serve on international committees; maintain international linkages and collaborations with FAD experts in other countries; and provide training to veterinarians, graduate students, and technologists.
One of the methods for providing this training is through a specialized annual course that focuses on FAD recognition, diagnosis and pathogenesis (the origins and development of disease and the mechanisms that cause disease). It is the only facility in Canada that is equipped to present this course. Participants include CFIA field veterinarians, veterinary pathologists from Canada’s teaching colleges, and veterinary diagnosticians from provincial laboratories.
Structure
NCFAD is organized into several Sections and Units:
Classical Swine Fever/Avian Influenza – This Section provides diagnostic testing services, technology development, research, training, and scientific consultation services. Diseases of primary concern are: classical swine fever, African swine fever, Newcastle disease, and notifiable avian influenza. This Section has expertise in the detection, isolation, identification, sequencing and characterization of viruses using conventional and molecular techniques. In addition to OIE Reference Laboratory status for classical swine fever and avian influenza, this Section is also the National Reference Laboratory and as such aides coordination of the network of provincial/university diagnostic animal health laboratories across Canada.
Vesicular Diseases – This Section provides testing services, technology development and research, training, and scientific consultation services for vesicular diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, swine vesicular disease and vesicular stomatitis. This Section is also involved in the study of host responses, disease transmission and pathogenesis of vesicular diseases. Both in vivo and in vitro work is carried out under strict containment conditions.
Serology/Immunology – This Section conducts both scheduled and special tests for the detection of antibodies to foreign animal disease agents in addition to assay development, validation, training and scientific consultation services. The bulk of scheduled tests (avian influenza, Newcastle disease, bluetongue, pseudorabies, vesicular stomatitis and epizootic hemorrhagic disease) involve the use of validated test methods on traditional farm animal species and the qualification of these animals or their products for movement into, out of, or within Canada and in support of national sero-surveys required by Canada’s trading partners and the OIE to maintain the country’s disease-free status. The Section provides this service for NCFAD as well as for the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network (CAHSN).