The Aquatic Research and Diagnostic Laboratory provides diagnostic services to producers in Southeastern United States and diagnostic support to on-going disease and production research. Diagnostic records provide critical insight to changes in disease trends and emergence of new diseases affecting animal production systems, an essential component of population health management. This information provides clinicians, caregivers and researchers a good cross-section of disease occurrence across the industry and is used to prioritize the allocation of resources for the development of rapid diagnostic procedures, disease surveillance and treatment programs and implementation of biosecurity measures.
To make an accurate diagnosis requires cooperation between the producer and diagnostic laboratory personnel. Producers and diagnosticians must understand that an exchange of information is paramount in the development of a definitive diagnosis and institution of appropriate remedial measures. The producer must also keep in mind that he or she has the most to gain or lose in a disease outbreak and that decisions concerning management changes are ultimately theirs to make.