LSU Diagnostics

12/12/2025

Dr. Alma Roy has been named director of LSU Diagnostics (Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory), our full-service, accredited laboratory that provides critical animal disease diagnostic services for Louisiana and surrounding states.

Dr. Roy will oversee all aspects of LSU Diagnostics, including laboratory operations, customer service, and marketing, ensuring continued excellence in service and innovation for the state’s animal industries and veterinary community. Her extensive research background includes studies on West Nile virus ecology and control, avian-mosquito transmission, equine and human disease, and vaccine development. Congratulations, Dr. Roy!

10/27/2025

LSU Vet Med and LSU Diagnostics are attending the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) Annual Meeting in New Orleans this week. We are connecting with colleagues, sharing expertise, and showcasing LSU’s leadership in veterinary pathology, diagnostics, and discovery.
If you’re attending, stop by and say hello—we’re always excited to talk science, training, and the future of veterinary medicine.

10/06/2025

Gold-standard feline heartworm screening at LSU Diagnostics: aligned with American Heartworm Society Guidelines

Heartworm infection in cats is a serious condition that can sometimes be fatal, even though many cats show no obvious signs of illness or only brief symptoms. Unlike in dogs, feline heartworm disease is much harder to diagnose and can easily be missed. That’s why the American Heartworm Society (AHS) strongly recommends annual testing for all cats.

No single test can detect every case of feline heartworm. Antigen tests are highly specific for adult female worms, but they cannot identify infections caused only by male worms. To achieve the most accurate results, AHS encourages veterinarians to use a combination of tests. The preferred approach includes both a heat-treated antigen test and a feline antibody test.

At LSU Diagnostics, we offer heat-treated heartworm antigen testing in-house and provide feline heartworm antibody testing through referral to Heska, an Antech company. This combined testing strategy gives clinicians the most reliable tools for accurately identifying heartworm infection in cats.

10/03/2025

LSU Diagnostics was recently featured in The Advocate-Baton Rouge for our West Nile virus testing program, which serves 32 Louisiana parishes. Each week, we test nearly 19,000 mosquitoes.

In late June, the Louisiana Department of Health confirmed the first case of West Nile Virus of 2025. Meet the team that tests Louisiana's mosquitos.

09/29/2025

Shelby Brady, laboratory accessioner in LSU Diagnostics, has been named the LSU Vet Med Community Champion of the Month for September. The Community Champion of the Month program acknowledges the amazing work our students, staff, and faculty do every day and celebrates extraordinary individuals. Congrats, Shelby!

09/08/2025

New World screwworm (NWS, Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a destructive parasitic fly whose larvae feed on living tissue, causing painful, and sometimes fatal, wound infestations in livestock, pets, wildlife, and people. At LSU Diagnostics, we assist in identifying suspect adult flies or larvae and work with the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) for confirmation and national reporting.

The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) has noted the continued spread of NWS across the Americas. Since its resurgence in Central America, first reported by Panama in June 2023, cases have been detected in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico. In August 2025, the CDC confirmed the first U.S. human case in Maryland, linked to international travel.

Rapid detection and coordinated response are essential because there are no vaccines or FDA-approved treatments for NWS. If you suspect screwworm, immediately contact your veterinarian, state animal health officials, or healthcare provider. Our laboratory is here to support diagnosis and protect the health of animals and families.

08/29/2025

LSU Diagnostics will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2025, for the Labor Day holiday. We kindly ask you to plan your shipments accordingly.

Regular testing operations will resume on Tuesday, September 2. For necropsy submissions, after-hours drop-off is available at the Small Animal Clinic at the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, located on Skip Bertman Drive. If you need assistance with after-hours drop-offs, please call 225-578-9600. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving your diagnostic needs!

08/25/2025

Deadly mosquito-borne virus on the rise in Louisiana.

LSU Diagnostics has confirmed an unusual surge in cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in horses this year. With a mortality rate of up to 90% in horses and potential risks to humans, prevention is critical.

EEE is more lethal than West Nile virus, and there is no cure—only vaccination for horses and mosquito-bite prevention for people.

Our pathologists, virologists and researchers at LSU Diagnostics are on the front lines, diagnosing cases, advancing understanding, and protecting both animal and human health.

Horse owners: Talk to your veterinarian about EEE and West Nile vaccination.
Everyone: Protect yourself from mosquito bites this summer.

Learn more about LSU Diagnostics’ work to fight mosquito-borne diseases (link in comments).

08/20/2025

West Nile virus cases are increasing in the New Orleans area, and LSU Diagnostics (LADDL) is on the front lines of protecting public health. Our lab tests mosquitoes collected from Orleans Parish and other parts of Louisiana to detect the presence of West Nile virus. Knowing where infected mosquitoes are located helps mosquito abatement districts decide where to spray pesticides to reduce mosquito populations and lower the risk of transmission. West Nile virus is spread by mosquito bites and can cause serious illness. Protect yourself and your family by using EPA-approved insect repellents, eliminating standing water around your home, and wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk. By combining diagnostics, surveillance, and mosquito control efforts, we can help keep Louisiana communities safer.

08/09/2025

At LSU Vet Med and LSU Diagnostics, we’re committed to caring for pets today—and protecting their health in the future. Our Antibiotic Stewardship Team, formed of doctors and veterinary technicians from the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital and experts from LSU Diagnostics, is dedicated to ensuring antibiotics are used safely and effectively.

Overuse of antibiotics can lead to resistance, making infections harder to treat in both pets and people. Many common pet illnesses, like mild coughs or diarrhea, often clear without antibiotics. Recently, Drs. Madeleine Stein and Jack Lee joined colleagues from veterinary teaching hospitals across North America at the 2025 Companion Animal Antimicrobial Stewards Workshop to strengthen our program. Together, we’re working to preserve the power of antibiotics for years to come.

07/24/2025

Today WAFB Channel 9 interviewed Dr. Alma Roy, LSU Diagnostics interim director, about West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis and how our lab works with local governments to test for these and other diseases that affect animals and people.

07/22/2025

Recent testing at LSU Diagnostics has revealed a concerning number of positive cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) across the state. 🦟

📍 The map below reflects positive test results by ZIP code as of today.
🟢 EEE cases are shown in green
🟣 WNV cases are shown in purple

While Southern Louisiana is no stranger to a summer spike in WNV, the early appearance of EEE—typically seen in the late summer and early fall—is worth watching closely.
🔬 At LSU Diagnostics, we’re committed to keeping animals safe through timely and accurate diagnostic testing. Our work helps veterinarians and animal owners stay one step ahead of emerging threats.