OIE Reference Laboratory Reports
Activities in 2011
Name of disease (or topic) for
which you are a designated OIE
Reference Laboratory:
Address of laboratory:
Swine influenza
National Veterinary Services Laboratories
USDA, APHIS, VS
P.O. Box 844, 1920 Dayton Avenue
Ames, Iowa 50010
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Tel.:
+1-515-337-7551
Fax:
+1-515-337-7348
e-mail address:
website:
Name (including Title and
Position) of Head of Laboratory
(Responsible Official):
Name(including Title and
Position) of OIE Reference
Expert:
sabrina.l.swenson@aphis.usda.gov
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/lab_info_services/
Dr Elizabeth A. Lautner
Director, National Veterinary Services
Laboratories
Dr Sabrina Swenson
Head, Bovine, Porcine, and Aquaculture
Viruses Section
Name (including Title and
Position) of writer of this report
(if different from above):
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
1
Swine Influenza
Part I: Summary of general activities related to the disease
1.
2.
2
Test(s) in use/or available for the specified disease/topic at your laboratory
Test
For
Specificity
Total
HI
Antibody
H1
54
HI
Antibody
H3
217
PCR
Nucleic acid
Matrix
59
PCR
Nucleic acid
Pandemic N1
59
PCR
Nucleic acid
H subtype
367
PCR
Nucleic acid
N subtype
367
Sequencing
Genes
216
MDCK
Virus isolation
42
Egg inoculation
Virus isolation
0
Production and distribution of diagnostic reagents
Type of reagent
Amount supplied nationally
(including for own use)
Amount supplied to other
countries
H1 HI positive control serum
5 – 2 ml/vial
11 – 2 ml/vial
H3 HI positive control serum
2 – 2 ml/vial
H1 antiserum
9 – 2 ml/vial
2 – 2 ml/vial
H3 antiserum
8 – 2 ml/vial
7 – 2 ml/vial
H1 HI antigen
44 – 2 ml/vial
H3 HI antigen
15 – 2 ml/vial
H1 conjugate
5 – 1 ml/vial
N1 RNA control for PCR
18 – 1.5 ml/vial
1 – 1 ml/vial
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Swine Influenza
Part II: Activities specifically related to the mandate
of OIE Reference Laboratories
3.
International harmonisation and standardisation of methods for diagnostic testing or the
production and testing of vaccines
a)
Establishment and maintenance of a network with other OIE Reference Laboratories
designated for the same pathogen or disease and organisation of regular inter-laboratory
proficiency testing to ensure comparability of results
None.
b)
Organisation of inter-laboratory proficiency testing with laboratories other than OIE
Reference Laboratories for the same pathogens and diseases to ensure equivalence of
results
None.
4.
Preparation and supply of international reference standards for diagnostic tests or vaccines
Reagents are available for serology, PCR, and FA. National repository of SIV isolates is being developed.
5.
6.
Research and development of new procedures for diagnosis and control

Evaluated subtyping PCRs for H1/H3 and N1/N2. Assays are currently undergoing licensing procedures in
the United States.

Evaluating the use of the ion torrent and illumina for rapid, whole genome sequencing.
Collection, analysis and dissemination of epizootiological data relevant to international disease
control
The United States began a voluntary swine influenza surveillance project in May 2009 to generate information on
swine influenza circulating in domestic swine in the United States. Diagnostic specimens (swabs, tissues, oral
fluids) entering National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) labs can voluntarily be placed into the
surveillance stream and tested for the presence of SIV. Testing and epidemiologic data are accumulated, viruses
are referred to the NVSL for development of a National repository and for appropriate confirmatory testing.
Sequences from 3 genes (H, M, N) up to 8 genes are deposited into GenBank. Testing is standardized in the labs.
NVSL participates with public health and other agricultural groups in epidemiologic investigations and testing
(where applicable) when influenza virus is identified in an unexpected host.
7.
Maintenance of a system of quality assurance, biosafety and biosecurity relevant to the
pathogen and the disease concerned
The National Veterinary Services Laboratories’ Quality Management System is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by
an independent accreditation body recognized by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation. Audits
and surveillance visits are an ongoing part of maintaining ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.
Biosafety and biosecurity at the NVSL comply with the U. S. Department of Agriculture and U. S. Department of
Health and Human Services Select Agent Program and as such meet or exceed guidelines established in “Biosafety
in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories”.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
3
Swine Influenza
8.
Provision of consultant expertise to OIE or to OIE Member Countries
NVSL is a member of OFFLU and a swine specific subgroup of OFFLU. NVSL has participated in OFFLU
meetings and teleconferences and has reviewed documents and provided opinion when requested.
9.
Provision of scientific and technical training to personnel from other OIE Member Countries
NVSL has collaborated with Central American countries (through FAO) to train personnel, provide reagents and
protocols, and to provide confirmatory testing. Training was completed in 2010; however, additional reagents
were provided in 2011, and NVSL is available for consultation, as needed. NVSL is in early discussions with a
Caribbean country to provide protocols, reagents, and confirmatory testing.
10. Provision of diagnostic testing facilities to other OIE Member Countries
See above.
11. Organisation of international scientific meetings on behalf of OIE or other international bodies
None
12. Participation in international scientific collaborative studies
None
13. Publication and dissemination of information relevant to the work of OIE (including list of
scientific publications, internet publishing activities, presentations at international conferences)
4

Presentations at international conferences and meetings

Swenson S, Korslund J, Pyburn D, Vincent A. 2011. USDA SIV Surveillance. U.S. An Health Assoc Public
Health and Rabies Com. Buffalo, NY.

Swenson S. 2011. Swine Influenza Surveillance in the United States. OFFLU. Paris, France.

Lorusso A, Vincent AL, Harland M, Alt D, Bayles DO, Swenson SL, Gramer MR, Russel CA, Smith DJ,
Lager KM, Lewis NS. 2011. Genetic and Antigenic Charactierization of H1 Influenza Viruses from U.S.
Swine Prior to the Emergence of the 2009 pandemic H1N1. 45 th US-Japan cooperative Program in Natural
Resources Panel of Animal and Animal Health Mtg. Ames, IA.

Irwin CK, Zimmerman J, Anderson J, Jenkins-Moore M, Leslie-Steen P, Patnayak D, Vincent A, Zhang J.
June 2011. Detection of influenza A virus in oral fluid ring test samples by virus isolation. Proc 6th
International Symposium on Emerging and Re-emerging Pig Diseases. Barcelona, Spain, p. 283.

Irwin CK, Zimmerman J, Christopher-Hennings J, Harmon K, Kitikoon P, McGill J, Otterson T, Rauh R,
Shah R, Skarbek K. June 2011. Detection of influenza A virus in oral fluid ring test samples by RT-PCR.
Proc 6th International Symposium on Emerging and Re-emerging Pig Diseases. Barcelona, Spain, p. 284.

Irwin C, Zimmerman J, Wang C, Hesse R, Harmon K, Christopher-Hennings J, Otterson T, McGill J,
Vincent A, Shah R, Rauh R. October 2011. Real-Time rt-PCR detection of influenza A Virus in oral fluid
using a check test. Proc. 54th Annual Conference American Association of Veterinary Laboratory
Diagnosticians. Buffalo, NY, p. 153.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Swine Influenza

Scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals

Dawood F, Dong L, Liu F, Blau D, Peebles P, Lu X, Wagers L, Oakland B, Zielenski M, Daly R, Horan V,
Swenson S, Schmitt B, Hancock K, Katz J, Bridges C, Kightlinger L, Finelli L. A pre-pandemic outbreak of
triple-reassortant swine influenza virus infection among university students, South Dakota, 2008.Journal of
Infectious Disease 204 (8), (2011), 1165-1171.

Chen LM, Rivailler P, Hossain J, Carney P, Balish A, Perry I, Davis CT, Garten R, Shu B, Xu X, Klimov A,
Paulson JC, Cox NJ, Swenson S, Stevens J, Vincent A, Gramer M, Donis RO. (2011). Receptor specificity of
subtype H1 influenza A viruses isolated from swine and humans in the United States. Virology. Apr 10;
412(2):401-10.

Campagnolo E, Rankin J, Daverio S, Hunt E, Lute J, Tewari D, Acland H, Ostrowski S, Moll M, Urdaneta V,
Ostroff S. (2011). Fatal Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza A Virus Infection in a Pennsylvania Domestic Cat.
Zoonoses and Public Health. Nov; 58(7):500-7. (acknowledged for the virus isolation work NVSL did)

Other communications

Swenson S. April 2011. SIV Typing Assay Evaluations at the NVSL. NAHLN Technical Methods Working
Group. Ames, IA.

Swenson S. September 2011. SIV Typing Assay Evaluations at the NVSL. NAHLN Technical Methods
Working Group. Ames, IA.
_______________
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
5