The Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL) is a vital institution in diagnosing and monitoring diseases that pose a threat to pets and livestock in Kansas. With over 500 types of tests available, the lab serves clients from all 50 states and 52 countries, including veterinarians and animal producers. The KSVDL is a member of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, which actively monitors for outbreaks of diseases like African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease. The lab is well-equipped to handle large-scale animal disease testing and has even assisted in processing COVID-19 tests during the pandemic. Additionally, the KSVDL collaborates with zoos and conducts necropsies on endangered animals. The lab's expertise, communication with clients, and proactive approach to surveillance contribute to its reputation and success [9f795f6e].
The construction of the new high-security pathogen lab in Canada, known as the Centre for Pandemic Research, is seen as a positive development by scientists. The lab, being built as part of the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), will be the only non-government Level 4 facility in Canada. It will have the capability to work with any pathogen, whether human or animal. The number of high-security labs studying dangerous pathogens has increased globally, with Canada's standards being among the most stringent. The Canadian government is also working to improve biosafety and biosecurity measures for non-government facilities [99b55c87].
Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics presented positive data from three key studies of its infectious disease franchise at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) 2024. The studies focused on Longhorn's vaccine and antibody product candidates for rapidly mutating viruses, including influenza, coronavirus, and antimicrobial resistant pathogens. The first study showcased the effectiveness of LHNVD-105, a universal influenza vaccine, in pigs. Pigs immunized with LHNVD-105 generated IgG antibodies that bound to multiple strains of influenza virus. The second study evaluated the binding and functional capabilities of four different isotype-specific anti-influenza monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in mice. The mAbs demonstrated good binding activity and neutralizing activity against H1N1 and H3N2. The third study explored Longhorn's monoclonal antibodies for the prevention and treatment of infections caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and gram-positive bacteria. The mAbs demonstrated good binding activity to live clinical MTB isolates. Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics is a One Health company developing vaccines and diagnostic tools for global public health and zoonosis concerns [6ca489e4].