Who should be notified when an FAD is suspected?

• A. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• B. The Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)
• C. State animal health official (SAHO) or USDA-APHIS Assistant District Director (ADD)
• D. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that suspected foreign animal diseases should be reported to the animal health authorities who manage disease investigations and emergency responses. Notify the state animal health official, who leads the state veterinary system, or the USDA-APHIS Assistant District Director, who coordinates federal response and resources. These channels ensure rapid, authoritative action, proper lab confirmation, and implementation of controls like movement restrictions and quarantines through the APHIS network.

FDA handles food and drug safety, FSIS oversees meat inspection and safety, and CDC focuses on human health and zoonotic disease when human risk is involved. They are not the first contacts for an FAD suspicion, though information may be shared later as the response evolves if there are human health implications.