Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP)

ACDP plays a vital role in maintaining and improving Australia's capability for timely diagnosis of new and emerging (terrestrial and aquatic) animal diseases, including exotic (foreign) and zoonotic diseases. This is achieved through a dedicated team providing routine and emergency diagnostic services and ongoing research programs to develop or improve diagnostic tests, which are critical to the success of any eradication and/or control campaign in the event of a disease outbreak.

ACDP also undertakes research on new and emerging diseases to better understand the disease process and drivers for their emergence and to develop new diagnostic tests and intervention methods, including vaccines and treatments, for animal diseases of national importance. ACDP is equipped with maximum biocontainment facilities that allow it to securely and safely undertake the above-mentioned diagnostic and research activities for animal diseases of national and international significance.

The laboratory is a World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reference laboratory for avian influenza, Newcastle disease, bluetongue, Hendra and Nipah virus infection, African Swine Fever, Classical Swine Fever, Abalone Herpes-like virus infection, ranavirus infection, Yellowhead virus (genotype 1) and epizootic haematopoietic necrosis virus infection. ACDP is also:

• an OIE Collaborating Centre for New and Emerging Diseases, for Laboratory Capacity Building and for Diagnostic Test Validation Science in the Asia-Pacific Region
• a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Collaborating Centre for Animal Influenza, Newcastle Disease and Laboratory Biological Risk Management
• a member of World Health Organization (WHO) Network of Laboratories for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
• and a national reference laboratory for rabies and Brucella spp.