By Scout Nelson
Kansas State University's Center on Biologics Development and Evaluation recently hosted the 2024 African Swine Fever Workshop for the Caribbean.
The event welcomed more than 60 participants from 28 countries, including 40 veterinarians, chief veterinary officers, and technical officers from 20 Caribbean countries. The primary goal was to establish a sustainable platform to enhance African Swine Fever (ASF) surveillance across the Americas.
The workshop, held from June 24 to 28, included updates on ASF virus research, hands-on diagnostic test training, and the use of the “Lateral Flow ASF Dx” kit.
Participants also attended a seminar on science-based rapid response options for ASF prevention and control. Tours of the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Biosecurity Research Institute, and K-State Olathe were provided.
Several researchers from the College of Veterinary Medicine, including Jishu Shi, Laura Miller, Stephen Higgs, Roman Pogranichniy, Lihua Wang, Rachel Madera, and Lance Noll, presented at the workshop.
Guest presenters included Linda Dixon from the Pirbright Institute in the UK, Eun-Ju Sohn from BioApp in South Korea, Llilianne Ganges from the Animal Health Research Center in Spain, Quang Lam Truong from Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Homer Pantua from BioAssets Corporation in the Philippines, Dang Vu Hoang from the National Institute of Veterinary Research in Vietnam, and To Long Thanh from Vietnam National University of Agriculture.
The workshop was co-organized by Beth Montelone, senior associate vice president for research at Kansas State University; Zackery Tipton, program manager with the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service; Eric Coleman, program policy adviser with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; and Ericka Calderon, specialist with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.
Jishu Shi, the director of the center and professor of vaccine immunology, expressed gratitude for the support from various partners, including the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, K-State Olathe, Biosecurity Research Institute, and Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
The collaboration aimed to strengthen ASF surveillance and control measures, benefiting the Caribbean region and beyond.
By hosting this workshop, Kansas State University plays a crucial role in combating ASF, ensuring that veterinary professionals are well-equipped to handle the disease, and fostering international cooperation in animal health.
Photo Credit: kansas-state-university
Categories: Kansas, General