Syndromic Surveillance at the New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Introduction The New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (NYSVDL) receives more than 100,000 diagnostic submissions a year that are not currently used in any formal syndromic surveillance system. In 2009, a pilot study of syndrome classification schemes was undertaken and in 2011 a new general submission form was adopted, which includes a check list of syndromes, as part of the clinical history. Monitoring submissions to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory for increases in certain test requests is an established method of syndromic surveillance (1, 2). The new general submission form allows for clinician selected syndromes to be monitored in addition to test request.