<b>By MEGGIE I. FOSTER<br>
Assistant Editor</b> </p><p>

ORIENT POINT, N.Y. — The threat of an animal disease outbreak poses tremendous economic consequences for those involved in agriculture and for consumers around the world who enjoy a bountiful food supply, according to Jim Combs, field veterinarian for the Indiana Board of Animal Health.<br>

“Unfortunately, there is no way to 100 percent guarantee that something won’t happen,” worried Combs, of Bloomfield, Ind. “So we have to do our absolute best to make sure it doesn’t and do the best we can to eradicate a disease as quickly as possible in case it does makes its way across the border.”<br>

For this reason, Combs recently attended an intensive two-week foreign animal disease certification course at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center off the coast of Long Island, N.Y. The Center is managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APIS), he explained.<br>

“The main purpose of this course was to learn more about new and emerging diseases, as well other deadly diseases that pose a threat to our country, and see those diseases in a laboratory setting as well as the necropsy of the dead or euthanized animals at the facility,” Combs reported. <br>

The early February certification course featured hours of in-classroom sessions as well as on-site laboratory training at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, one of the most secure animal disease diagnostic laboratories in the world, according to Combs, who recalled the extreme measures of biosecurity taken at the facility available only via ferry.<br>

 “Once we got to the island we entered the ultra-secure building through a series of air-locked doors into pressurized rooms until we reached the biocontainment unit, where we were able to view the sick animals and the active research,” he remembered, detailing his numerous changes of clothes, showers, vicious hand washing and even being asked to blow his nose before and after entering the biocontainment cell. <br>

“It was probably one of the most interesting experiences of my life and really opened my eyes to what we hope will never happen here in Indiana.”<br>

Combs said that the research animals, only visible through glass, were specifically infected with deadly diseases such as Foot and Mouth, Avian Influenza, Exotic New Castle Disease, Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease, African Horse Fever, African Swine Fever and Classical Swine Disease, also known as Hog Cholera.<br>

In addition to viewing the infected-animals, the group of elite state, federal and military veterinarians from across the country, were also permitted to inspect infected samples in the necropsy center. <br>

“This was so interesting because we not only got to see how the disease affects live animals and what signs to look for, but we also got to see tissue samples and organs of the infected animals,” Combs added.<br>

For Indiana, Comb claims the two biggest worries are Foot and Mouth Disease, and Avian Influenza or even Exotic New Castle Disease, which also affects the poultry industry. <br>

“Both carry catastrophic consequences and would be devastating to the sheep, cattle and swine or the poultry industry,” he stated, adding that Indiana’s agriculture industry boasts a $6 billion dollar business. “These are certainly two diseases we don’t need or want in Indiana.”<br>

After attending the grueling training at Plum Island, Combs said he has a better understanding of several potentially-devastating animal diseases and how to handle the situation if an outbreak ever occurred in Indiana. <br>

“In my opinion though, Indiana is at the forefront of this operation, and is as well or better prepared for an animal disease outbreak than any other state,” claims the Hoosier-proud Combs, who recently returned to his family’s farmstead in Bloomfield. “We have 10 very knowledgeable district field veterinarians in Indiana, and all in time, will be trained in foreign animal disease.”<br>

For more on these diseases or the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, visit www.ars.usda.gov/plum<br>

For more details on foreign animal disease preparedness in Indiana, visit BOAH online at www.in.gov/boah