Location: Animal Disease Research Unit
Project Number: 2090-32000-040-057-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2025
End Date: Aug 31, 2029
Objective:
Persistent infectious diseases in animals—such as Babesiosis, Prion, Theleriosis, Anaplasmosis, and other chronic infectious diseases —pose significant challenges to animal health, farm productivity, and global trade. These diseases often remain undetected for long periods due to subclinical or latent infections, leading to ongoing transmission and delayed control measures. Antigenic variations and emerging types and strains in these persistent infectious diseases present further challenges in disease diagnosis and control strategies. Current diagnostic tools may lack the sensitivity, specificity, or accessibility required for early and reliable detection. Therefore, identifying, developing and validating novel diagnostic antigens and platforms is crucial for enhancing diagnostic solutions for persistent animal infectious diseases and protecting U.S. animal health. The objective of this project is to develop and validate advanced diagnostic tools, integrated platforms, and improved diagnostic workflows that enable early, accurate, and cost-effective detection of persistent infectious diseases in animals, thereby supporting effective disease management, surveillance, and control programs.
Approach:
1. Define genetic diversity of persistent infectious disease agents using diverse samples from geographically distinct areas, update diagnostic targets/antigens accordingly. 2. Identify novel diagnostic targets/antigens and utilize enhanced diagnostic platforms.
3. Develop innovative molecular, serological, or biomarker-based diagnostic assays with improved diagnostic sensitivity and diagnostic specificity for detecting persistent infections. 4. Integrate diagnostics into rapid and digital platforms that support point-of-care testing, data sharing, and real-time decision-making in field and laboratory settings. 5. Validate diagnostic tools and sample types in diverse animal populations and production systems, including livestock, companion animals, and wildlife where relevant.
This project will contribute to global efforts in controlling endemic and emerging infectious diseases in animals, aligning with national animal health strategies, biosecurity objectives, and international trade requirements. It will also support innovation in veterinary diagnostics and create pathways for commercial deployment of novel technologies.