Role of the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries' Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) in the 2007 equine influenza emergency animal disease response

• Published in: Australian veterinary journal Vol. 89; no. s1; pp. 47 - 49
• Main Authors: Croft, MG, Fraser, GC, Gaul, WN
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Publishing Asia 01-07-2011
• Subjects: Animals; Clinical Laboratory Information Systems - standards; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; emergency animal disease; equine influenza; equine influenza, laboratory information management system; Horse Diseases - diagnosis; Horse Diseases - epidemiology; Horse Diseases - virology; Horses; Humans; Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype - isolation & purification; laboratory information management system; New South Wales - epidemiology; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - diagnosis; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - epidemiology; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - veterinary; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - virology; New South Wales
• ISSN: 0005-0423; 1751-0813
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2011.00745.x

A Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) was used to manage the laboratory data and support planning and field activities as part of the response to the equine influenza outbreak in Australia in 2007. The database structure of the LIMS and the system configurations that were made to best handle the laboratory implications of the disease response are discussed. The operational aspects of the LIMS and the related procedures used at the laboratory to process the increased sample throughput are reviewed, as is the interaction of the LIMS with other corporate systems used in the management of the response. Outcomes from this tailored configuration and operation of the LIMS resulted in effective provision and control of the laboratory and laboratory information aspects of the response. The extent and immediate availability of the information provided from the LIMS was critical to some of the activities of key operatives involved in controlling the response.