After a detailed three year process, the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratories in Salisbury and Frederick have become the seventh and eighth Animal Health Laboratories in the nation to be accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) for specific tests.

A2LA is a nonprofit international laboratory accreditation organization, dedicated to the formal recognition of competent testing and calibration. Accreditation by A2LA verifies that an organization follows a documented Quality Management System in accordance with Quality System elements of international standards, including technical competency. To qualify for accreditation, the two laboratories had to demonstrate through detailed documentation that they adhere to strict internationally recognized standards and protocols when conducting the accredited tests. The standard is: International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17025:2005 and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Quality Standard and Guidelines for Veterinary Laboratories: Infectious Diseases, 2008.

“These important accreditations will provide further assurances to our national and international customers that our poultry and our horses are tested for infectious diseases according to internationally accepted protocols,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “As international trade continues to become more and more competitive, testing standards become more stringent. This accreditation positions Maryland animals and their products to meet standards now and in the future. Obtaining the A2LA accreditation is another indication of how sophisticated and forward thinking Maryland’s agriculture industry has become.”

The Salisbury Animal Health Laboratory, which focuses primarily on poultry diseases that could impact the commercial poultry industry, received its accreditation for Avian Influenza Molecular Diagnostics (Qiagen Method) and Salmonella Isolation and Identification (Environmental Samples).

The Frederick Animal Health Laboratory, which focuses primarily on horses and food-producing livestock, received its accreditation for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) Isolation and Identification and Avian Influenza Molecular Diagnostics (Qiagen Method). The Frederick laboratory began testing for Avian Influenza in 2011 to provide diagnostics for western shore poultry and to provide MDA with increased testing capacity in the event of a poultry health emergency.

“Three years ago, we told our Animal Health staff that we wanted these labs to be A2LA accredited,” said Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “We already knew they were doing a high quality job, but we wanted to be able to document it according to standard international practices so there would be no question.”

Both labs were already approved to conduct numerous tests by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) as part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, including Avian Influenza, Salmonella and CEM, which are federally designated “national diseases of concern.” All laboratory scientists and technicians have been required to pass annual proficiency tests conducted by NVSL, which are also pre-requisites for achieving ISO-OIE laboratory accreditation. The laboratories can also provide back-up services for USDA and other states if there is a disease outbreak.

The new ISO-OIE accreditation, however, requires much more comprehensive, detailed documentation of every facet of laboratory testing – from how often staff members are trained to how samples are collected, handled, transported, processed, tested and disposed. Laboratory equipment must be maintained and calibrated on set schedules to ensure it is working properly. And processes that have no direct impact on the lab tests – such as how supplies are ordered and received – must all be carefully documented to ensure that the best laboratory practices are being adhered to, as defined and required by the international standard. All documents must be retained for five years.

Poultry is the largest agricultural sector in Maryland, comprising 40 percent of all farm receipts. MDA’s Animal Health Laboratories conduct two critically important functions for this industry. MDA provides surveillance testing for Avian Influenza for poultry flocks prior to being sent to processing and for testing environmental samples for Salmonella to comply with the regulations and programs established by the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP). During FY 2011, MDA laboratories conducted 11,579 tests for Avian Influenza, the vast majority being pre-slaughter testing of healthy birds.

Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) is an infectious disease for which certain horses imported to or exported from the United States must be tested. Imported horses are held in a quarantine facility while the testing is completed. Horses for export are usually tested where they are stabled. CEM had been eradicated from the United States for many years; however, it was reintroduced in 2001. A large scale national investigation identified and isolated the infected horses and the United States is now considered CEM-free again. The reintroduction caused significant economic harm to the equine industries and triggered additional testing requirements on U.S. horses for export. During FY 2011, the Frederick lab conducted 1,104 tests for CEM.

“I am extremely proud of the staff. It is a huge amount of work for everyone, and everyone had to buy into it and be willing to do the extra work or we couldn’t have done it. It’s a great thing to see,” said Dr. Virginia Pierce, director of the Frederick Animal Health Laboratory.

“We know we do a good job. Now the rest of the world knows we do a good job,” said Dr. Claudia Osorio, director of the Salisbury Animal Health Lab. “Our diagnostics are done in the right environment and everything is being checked. Even our equipment is being calibrated according to a specific calibration method. It holds us accountable to a higher recognized laboratory standard. It is all about documented quality control.”

Both the Salisbury and Frederick Animal Health Laboratories also serve as Basic Sentinel Clinical Laboratories for the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Sentinel Clinical Laboratories are capable of analyzing or referring specimens that may contain microbial agents or biological toxins of serious public health consequence.

MDA plans to expand the panel of diagnostic tests covered by accreditation. “Accreditation is a journey, not a destination” said Dr. Guy Hohenhaus, State Veterinarian with agency oversight of the animal health laboratory system. “Inherent in accreditation is the commitment to maintain and improve quality management systems over the long term.” Several additional tests are being considered for inclusion in the 2013 audit.

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Note to Editors: Photos of the laboratories and their staffs available athttp://www.flickr.com/photos/mdagdept/sets/

An ISO standard is a document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose.

OIE is the World Organization for Animal Health. It is part of the United Nations. ISO/OIE standards are related to animal health and veterinary laboratory requirements.

The Salisbury Animal Health Laboratory is accredited for Avian Influenza Molecular Diagnostics (Qiagen Method) NVSL SOP-AV-0001/ NVSL SOP-AV-004 and Salmonella Isolation and Identification (Environmental Samples) APHIS 91-55-088, July 2011.  Certificate Number 3327.01: http://www.a2la.org/scopepdf/3327-01.pdf

Frederick is accredited for Avian Influenza Molecular Diagnostics (Qiagen Method) tEst method NVSL SOP-AV-1510  and Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) Isolation and Identification. Test method NVSL SOPTA=BACT-0001. Certificate Number: 3327.02:http://www.a2la.org/scopepdf/3327-02.pdf