2009 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Goals of this agreement are to 1. Develop disinfectant efficacy test methods that will be acceptable to USDA and EPA for the purpose of conducting research studies. 2. Conduct research studies to determine the effectiveness of selected antimicrobial pesticides for inactivating priority FAD agents on various surfaces. 3. Test the inactivation of less virulent agents by antimicrobial pesticides to determine their suitability for use as surrogates for FAD agents in disinfectant efficacy testing. FY 2009 Amendment includes additional goals: 4. Develop advanced disinfectant efficacy test methods that will be acceptable to USDA and EPA for the purpose of conducting research studies. 5. Conduct research studies to determine the influence that different test conditions will have on the effectiveness of selected antimicrobial pesticides for inactivating FAD agents on various surfaces. 6. Determine the disinfectant application parameters under which optimal effectiveness of selected disinfectants against priority FAD agents can be achieved. 7. Test optimized disinfectant methodologies and optimized application parameters under conditions similar to those encountered in the field. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Testing of antimicrobial disinfectant chemicals and products to inactivate FAD agents will be accomplished through: 1. Implementation of a quality assurance plan, 2. Literature review of current decontamination practices and selection of decontamination technologies, 3. Development and selection of standardized laboratory techniques to measure the efficacy decontamination products, 4. Laboratory studies to determine the efficacy of selected decontamination products against FAD agents conducted in three phases, differentiated by priority, 5. Testing and evaluation of potential surrogates for FAD agents. USDA, PIADC will conduct basic and applied research under BSL-3 conditions to determine the effectiveness of antimicrobial chemical/products against FAD agents. EPA will provide quality control requirements and expertise in antimicrobial chemical/products analysis. 3.Progress Report The work performed under this agreement between the USDA and the EPA encompasses research to develop and evaluate methodologies for determining the efficacy of antimicrobial disinfectant chemicals/products against FAD agents and to provide data, analyses and study conclusions necessary to identify effective antimicrobial chemicals/products to be used during outbreaks of FAD agents. New test methods will be developed and validated so that reliable efficacy data can be produced and used to identify effective antimicrobial chemicals/products that can be employed against highly pathogenic FAD agents. In FY 2009 we completed the following: 1. a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) incorporating elements of a Quality Management Plan (QMP) was written and approved by USDA and EPA. The QAPP, included Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Basic Study Plan and for all aspects of laboratory work. A literature review was written on the topic of virus disinfection. 2. Development and Selection of Standardized Laboratory Techniques to Measure the Efficacy of Decontamination Products: . 1)Generated high-titer stocks of the viral agents used for proof-of-concept: Foot-and-Mouth Disease virus (FMDv), Classical Swine Fever virus (CSFv) and African Swine Fever virus (ASFv). . 2)Optimized the recovery of virus dried on nonporous surfaces. . 3)Tested the inactivation of these viruses with three different classes of disinfectants. . 4)Developed a strategy to ensure complete neutralization of the disinfectants while maintaining the integrity of the viruses and the indicator cells. . 5)Unified these sub-tasks into a controlled, reproducible assay that can be used to test any virucidal agent for disinfection of viral agents. Activities in this project were monitored through email and telephone exchange.