The Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Cooperative Threat Reduction program recently sponsored a training event in Thailand that focused on updating participants in the latest Competitive- Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (C-ELISA) techniques. Thai staff from 12 different labs including the National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), the Veterinary Research and Development Center (VRDC), the Veterinary Biologics Assay and Research Center (VBAC), Bureau of Veterinary Biologic (BVB), along with two officers from the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture participated in the training. The event was held at the regional reference laboratory for foot and mouth disease in Southeast Asia in Pak Chong, Thailand Feb. 19-23.
 
This training provided opportunities for participants to not only learn the latest techniques in C-ELISA testing but also to exchange opinions, problems, and obstacles in testing for foot and mouth disease. The training also allowed participating Indonesian officers to learn from the experience of the Thai Department of Livestock Development (DLD) in combatting FMD. 
 
The DTRA-provided training center was turned over to the DLD in 2022 and includes a state-of-the-art training laboratory. This is the most sophisticated training lab in the region.
 
This training exemplifies DTRA’s commitment to our partners and Thailand’s regional leadership in biosecurity and disease surveillance practices - identifying and mitigating biological threats at their source.
 
For more information on this facility and other DTRA programs, visit www.dtra.mil