The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) announced the licensing of a new rapid-response (three hour) foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) diagnostic kit received by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB).

The diagnostic kit was developed by a large research consortium of federal agencies, academia and animal health industry scientists. This is the first licensed FMD diagnostic kit that can be manufactured on the U.S. mainland, which is critical for rapid response in the event of a FMD outbreak.

The kit provides animal health first responders with an important tool to mitigate the potentially catastrophic economic and animal welfare impacts of a FMD outbreak. This high-performance test can be used for cattle, swine and sheep. It will be commercialized and sold by Veterinary Medical Research and Development (VMRD), Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of veterinary diagnostics.

“This assay will be a pivotal tool for U.S. emergency preparedness and response and for ensuring the resiliency of U.S. animal agriculture, a critical infrastructure,” DHS Acting Under Secretary William N. Bryan said. “Successfully bringing this test to market exemplifies the type of public-private partnership among DHS S&T, Centers of Excellence, government labs and commercial industry necessary to support U.S. agriculture and global FMD control and eradication programs.”

The FMD virus is highly contagious in cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, pigs and small ruminants. Globally, FMD has a significant impact on livestock trade economies and extensive regulatory programs exist in the U.S. to facilitate identification of, response to and control of the disease.

The effects of a FMD outbreak would be devastating with one in nine Americans employed in agriculture or allied industries.

This rapid, specific and sensitive FMD diagnostic assay was developed and validated over a sever year period. Funding was provided by the Agriculture Defense branch of DHS S&T’s Chemical and Biological Defense division and DHS S&T Office of University Programs.

For more information, visit iiad.tamu.edu.