Project Number: 5430-32000-005-17
Project Type: General Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Feb 01, 2012
End Date: Sep 30, 2013

Objective:
The goal of this project is the laboratory evaluation of rapid, reliable, and sensitive diagnostic assays for Rift Valley fever that are suitable for use in Differentiate Infected from Vaccinated Animal control strategies.

Approach:
The National Veterinary Stockpile Recommendations list Rift Valley Fever (RVF) as the third most important agricultural threat to U.S. livestock. There are new diagnostic assays available that have not been evaluated as to their effective timeframe for use post-infection and sensitivity. The main objectives of this proposal are: 1. To determine the optimal time points post infection and diagnostic samples (blood, saliva etc.) for detection of RVFV with these assays, and 2.) To evaluate the compatibility of these assays with a DIVA control strategy which will be determined by comparing the diagnostic results of vaccinated sheep with wild-type infected sheep. These studies may include evaluating the ability of diagnostic assays to detect infectious virus, viral antigen(s) and virus-specific nucleic acids in insects.