Current Initiatives of the NTF Foundation

Reovirus Project

Purpose: To provide a significant reward for the development and successful marketing of a diagnostic tool and/or vaccine that aids in reducing the impact of reovirus on the turkey industry. The NTF Foundation will award funds for a successful vaccine and a successful diagnostic tool.

Award Criteria
Vaccine: A vaccine is eligible for the award if it has been developed, approved by USDA’s Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB), and can be applied at the hatchery via injection or on the farm via water or aerosol spray, and has been actively marketed to the turkey industry for a period of at least 180 days with at least 2 million doses sold.

Diagnostic Tool: A turkey-specific reovirus diagnostic tool that can detect asymptomatic reovirus in flocks and aid in risk mitigation is eligible for the award if the test is developed and is actively marketed to the turkey industry for a period of at least 180 days with at least 10,000 tests sold.

Criteria for each eligible test type is provided below:
ELISA:
• Serum-based diagnostic test that correlates to known infection or vaccine status
• Validated via AAVLD accredited vet laboratory and/or FDA

Molecular Technology:
• Differentiates turkey arthritis reovirus from nonpathogenic enteric reovirus.
• Average test turnaround (sample receipt to reporting) is 2.5 days.