Our Mission

     ABADRU conducts research on the diagnosis and control of diseases of domestic livestock that are transmitted by arthropods. Arthropods are a group of organisms that include insects, ticks and spiders. Arthropod-borne pathogens cause significant economic loss and pose a constant threat of epidemic disease to the U.S. livestock industry.

     The ABADRU research provides information to: 1) protect U.S. livestock from arthropod-borne pathogens; 2) develop appropriate U.S. animal health regulations; and 3) make scientifically sound international trade regulations that will protect U.S. livestock from foreign pathogens. Research projects currently focus on Bluetongue Virus, Epizootic Hemhorragic Virus, West Nile Virus and Vesicular Stomatitis. This research provides general information that may be applied to other arthropod-borne animal pathogens such as African Horse Sickness, Anaplasmosis, Heartwater Fever, Rift Valley Fever and Akabane. Epidemics caused by such diseases could seriously affect the food supply in the U.S. and cause significant changes in the price and availability of food to the American consumer. The ABADRU is a key USDA resource for research to protect U.S. livestock from foreign arthropod-borne pathogens.

 

ABADRU Code of Ethics
*Stand together as a team*
*Treat each other professionally and with respect, regardless of grade or position*
*Share information and resources*
*Take responsibility for your decisions and actions*
*Encourage giving and receiving constructive feedback*
*Resolve conflicts promptly*
*Talk to each other--not about each other*
*Be honest and open*
*Express appreciation*
*Approach tasks positively*
*Learn from the past and look forward to the future*
*Show compassion for someone else's point of view and feelings*
*Respond to each other in a timely manner*