Student Intern
Biosecurity Authority Of Fiji
Koronovia, Central, Fiji
Under the guidance of the Biosecurity Officer, the Veterinarian, and Laboratory Technicians, had hands-on experience with: • Animal diagnostic tests such as Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). • Community outreach to educate on tuberculosis and brucellosis disease in the Tailevu Province.• Blood sample collection from swine for initial ASF surveillance ,and cattle and a cat in a leptospirosis confirmed area. • Observed the slaughter process and the carcass preparation as well as hands-on meat inspection (with meat inspector)of key organs and lymph nodes for tuberculosis positive cattle and collecting the strongly suspected samples. • Collecting liver, spleen, and kidney samples from rats captured from areas in which people who tested for leptospirosis stayed and conducting the diagnostic tests on the collected rat samples. • Frequent visits to apiaries to set-up bee hive strips, place sticky boards for varroa mites, collect previous sample collection set ups and conduct on-site honeybee American Foulbrood tests for surveillance. Assist further investigations through interviewing the apiarists for further insights.• Collection of egg samples from a local layer producer all the way through to sample preparation of yolk and testing for salmonellosis.