Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The NC-228 annual Technical Committee meeting was held on Friday, November 12, 2004 at Grant Park Room in the Congress Hotel, Chicago, IL. Jack Gelb, Chair of NC-228, opened the meeting at 2 PM. Welcomes and introductions followed. New Project NC-1019 and the Annual and Termination Reports for Current Project NC-228 Dr. Klausner congratulated the Committee for submitting an excellent proposal for the renewal project NC-1019. He and Dr. Gelb also indicated that the NCRA Multistate Research Committee that had reviewed the project had made two recommendations: to develop more stakeholder interaction with representatives of the animal health industry and practitioners; and to make additional efforts to leverage financial support. Dr. Gelb agreed to coordinate the preparation of the NC-228 2003-2004 annual report and will prepare a draft and circulate it to the participants for review. After making all changes, Dr. Gelb will submit the final version of the NC-228 2003-2004 annual report by January 13, 2005, the 60-day deadline from the date of the 2004 annual meeting. Dr. Klausner indicated that this years 2003-2004 annual report, the last report for the NC-228 project, could serve as the termination report with the addition of the impact and accomplishments sections. The Committee agreed to the best way to prepare the NC-228 termination report was to take all the highlighted bullets from the annual reports and assemble them, as well as the publications and a summary of the impact statements into a draft for circulation to the participants for review. Dr. Gelb, the out-going chair of NC-228, agreed to assist the newly elected chair of the NC-1019 project with the preparation of the NC-228 termination report. The deadline for the NC-228 termination report is March 15, 2005. Given that the new project, NC-1019 had just commenced on October 1, 2004, the first annual report will be prepared after next years 2005 annual meeting. Update from Dr. Peter Johnson (USDA CREES) Dr. Johnson (USDA, CREES) also congratulated the Committee for their the efforts in successfully developing a new proposal on respiratory diseases of poultry. He reiterated his strong support for multi-state regional projects. Dr. Johnson distributed a handout entitled, USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CREES) Report, Chicago IL  November 2004. He reported on the following. 1.CREES personnel changes. 2.A new CSREES website (www.csrees.usda.gov). 3.Competitive Programs (www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm). Updated FY2005 competitive grant program with emphasis on the ones of interest to our regional project. Discussed the FY2004 NRI program dates and the funding within various programs. Noted the Postdoctoral Fellowship program and the restriction to US citizens and the need to make these awards. Noted the Animal Well-Being Assessment and Improvement and Veterinary Immunological Reagents programs. Noted the identification of Avian Coccidia, Mareks Disease, and Poult Enteritis Mortality Syndrome as diseases receiving high priority species-specific status in FY 2005. Some concern was expressed on the part of the Committee as to how these diseases were identified. Indicated that proposals on exotic ND and AI would be considered under non-species specific high priority areas. 4.The projected Presidents non-defense budget from 2004-2009 detailing anticipated reductions in USDAs as well as other agencys budgets. Election of officers for 2004-2005 A Nomination Subcommittee consisting of Drs. Wu, Saif and Gelb recommended Dr. David Suarez (USDA, ARS, SEPRL) for Chair and Dr. Ching-Ching Wu (Indiana) for Secretary for two-year terms (2005-2006). Both were unanimously elected and thanked by the Committee for taking on these important responsibilities. Stakeholders participation in NC-1019 Dr. Gelb initiated a discussion about bringing in stakeholders from the poultry industry to seek their input for the research direction and support for our regional project. It was proposed that one or two persons could be invited from the industry. The group discussed several names of stakeholders and agreed that Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown of Perdue Farms, Inc. should be invited to our next meeting. We will ask Dr. Stewart-Brown to report on the status of current poultry diseases in general and the specific nature and impact of respiratory diseases on production in layers, broilers and turkeys. Potential new location for the NC-1019 annual meeting The Committee discussed the possibility of moving the NC-1019 annual meeting to another location in conjunction with another meeting to encourage better attendance. Members polled at this years meeting indicated a preference in the following order: Southern Conference on Avian Diseases meeting and the US Poultry and Egg Assn. trade show in Atlanta, Georgia in January; US Animal Health Assn. meeting in various locations in October, Western Poultry Disease Conference in various locations in March, and lastly, the current Chicago location in conjunction with the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases in November. Given that several members were not in attendance, Dr. Gelb agreed to poll all participants via e-mail so that this matter could be discussed further before any decision was made. Discussion of the annual station reports The Committee discussed research activities during the period from October 1, 2003 - September 30, 2004. Work planned for the coming year AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS Avian influenza reservoirs will be identified in the New England states (CONNECTICUT). Develop improved diagnostic capabilities including real time PCR as well as other rapid on-farm tests for economically important respiratory diseases (CONNECTICUT). Develop and optimize of real time multiplex-PCR tests for avian influenza (CONNECTICUT). Characterize AIV isolates from the 2004 Delmarva outbreak (DELAWARE). Continue surveillance for AIV. Studies will be initiated on the molecular changes in influenza viruses associated with crossing the species barrier (OHIO) AVIAN METAPNEUMOVIRUS Develop a continuous cell line capable of growing higher titers of APV (MINNESOTA). Continue surveillance for avian pneumoviruses (OHIO). ESCHERICHIA COLI Expand studies to evaluate the effect of various strains of avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) on avian macrophage gene expression and to compare these responses to those observed when macrophage are exposed to viral pathogens (DELAWARE). Continue sequencing the genome of an avian clone of E. coli (MINNESOTA). INFECTIOUS BRONCHITIS VIRUS IBV S gene specific recombinant DNA vaccine and its application in-ovo using interferon Type 1 as an adjuvant will continue. Develop and optimize of real time multiplex-PCR tests for infectious bronchitis for differentiation of serotypes (CONNECTICUT). Characterize Delmarva isolates from 2004 (DELAWARE). INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VIRUS Examine the pathogenesis of IBDV using reverse genetically engineered strains for the purpose of understanding the molecular events and mechanisms by which the virus interacts with bursa of Fabricius. Study effect of chicken cytokine genes on immunomodulation and protection of chickens against IBD by DNA vaccination. Study the effect of boosting with transgenic algae expressing IBDV VP2 on DNA vaccination of chickens against IBD (INDIANA). Continue studies on the genetic drift observed in IBDV and its relationship to antigenic variations in these viruses. Produce and characterize monoclonal antibodies to the vvIBDV (OHIO). ORNITHOBACTERIUM RHINOTRACHEALE (ORT) Investigate the role of ORT on peritonitis in laying chickens (MINNESOTA) NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS Characterize Delmarva isolates from 2004 (DELAWARE). MYCOPLASMAS Additional work with the unusual M. synoviae strain will continue (DELAWARE). The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 pm on November 13, 2004. Minutes submitted by M. Khan.