Page 34 - The Veterinary Laboratory and Field Manual 3rd Edition

chapter 1

Setting up and using a laboratory service

Susan C. Cork, Roy Halliwell and Willy Schauwers

1.1 The role of the veterinary encouraging the use of a veterinary laboratory
laboratory network within service.
animal health extension services

Most veterinary laboratory networks consist of a Infrastructure and function of
central research and/or referral laboratory and a the regional or district veterinary
number of regional laboratories, which are less laboratory
well equipped than the central facility but are
able to support most of the routine diagnostic Veterinary laboratory staff have a varied and
work required by the field staff. Staff based at important role within the animal health services.
the central facility are usually responsible for The main contributions from laboratory staff
compiling disease status reports, meeting the include: (1) the development and delivery of
reporting requirements of regional, national the diagnostic service; (2) provision of technical
and international authorities, the development support and training; (3) participation in dis-
of disease surveillance plans and the provision of ease surveillance programmes; and (4) disease
a range of diagnostic tests and technical exper- reporting.
tise. Although the level of development of the A range of veterinary professionals, technical
central and regional diagnostic facilities will vary experts, laboratory technicians, laboratory assis-
from country to country, the general adminis- tants and auxiliary personnel will staff veterinary
trative and technical structure is fairly standard. diagnostic laboratories. The number and nature
The livestock owner/farmer generally does not of staff depends on the size and functions of the
have direct access to diagnostic services from a facility, for example, a central or reference labo-
national or regional veterinary laboratory, the ratory will have a diverse range of staff including
service to the farmer is usually provided through veterinarians and discipline scientists with
the animal health/veterinary or livestock field/ expertise in specific diseases or diagnostic pro-
extension services. Therefore, a key element in cedures, whereas small facilities usually require
1
the provision and utilization of veterinary labo- all staff to have a very broad spectrum of exper-
ratory services is the link between the livestock tise. In the larger laboratories, there may also
extension officer and the farmer at the district be a research component to the work done with
level. This chapter will focus on the factors trainees and graduate students engaged in the
that need to be considered when setting up and work. The general requirements for veterinary

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