A description of the collection procedure, specific tools and materials required for each service is provided in the specimen collection notes for each laboratory. Make sure the owner's name and a description of the specimen are clearly written on each specimen container. After the appropriate samples have been collected from the export animals, they must be submitted to the AHL in sufficient time to allow the required tests to be completed in the pre-departure period.
Sample Collection for Bovine Campylobacteriosis and Trichomoniasis from Bulls
The cost of transporting samples or cultures to outside laboratories for further testing will be passed on to the customer. Avoid contamination by opening the vaginal opening and placing the swab cranial to the external opening of the urethra.
Stuarts media
Massage the prepuce externally to remove any gas that may be causing problems in getting the douching fluid. Using a syringe and tubing, infuse 10 mL of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) into the cavity.
Enterotoxemia sample (See Immunology Services) 4. Sterile transport containers
When the tube is inserted about 15 cm, close the preputial cavity by firmly grasping the top of the tube with the fingers of one hand.
Botulism (See Immunology Services)
Collect at least 20 ml of midstream urine either by manual stimulation or preferably by injection of a diuretic e.g. Aspirate the contents of the eye using a sterile needle and syringe and submit the sample into the (capped) syringe.
Collection of tissue for bacteriology
Foot-rot examination
A smear can prepared from this material, but as before, the swab must be submitted to the laboratory with the smear. The samples must be accompanied by a detailed clinical and epidemiological history which is placed in an envelope and taped to the outside of the esky. The enclosed submission sheet should be clearly marked as “SUSPECT MESSAGE CLOSURE” so that laboratory personnel are alerted to the contents of the container.
Whole blood should be stored at 4°C and sent to the laboratory in an Esky with an ice block. The plasma can be sent directly to the lab in an Esky with an ice block, or frozen at -10°C before shipping. All samples should be stored at 4°C and sent to the laboratory in an Esky with an ice block.
Whole blood should be kept at 4°C and sent to the laboratory in an Esky with an ice cube. Collect 300ml of hard bloom, or a minimum of 30 mussels each at least 5cm in diameter.
24 HOUR DISEASE REPORTING
Faeces for Pooled Faecal Culture (PFC) test for ovine Johne’s disease (OJD)
It is necessary to identify the ewes in each pool by ear tags, wool brands or other methods and record this information on the sample advice form.
Culture for Brucella abortus
Faeces
Gastro-intestinal tract for total worm count Abomasum/stomach for total worm count
Submit fresh (within 12 hours) or preserve by adding formalin to give a final concentration of 5 % formalin (~2% formaldehyde solution). Scrape bowel wall by holding the bowel between the scissor handles and passing the bowel through. Apply fresh (within 12 hours) or by adding formalin to give a final concentration of 5 % formalin (~2% formaldehyde solution).
Blood and Tissue Smears Blood Smears
Preparation of mucosal remnants and tissue smears - they should be as thin as possible. a) Mucosal scrapings - gently scrape the edge of the slide along the mucosa and spread the material collected at the edge thinly on another slide. Tissue smear - if the tissue to be examined is fluid enough, it can be smeared on a slide as for a thin blood smear. Liver (Rabbit) - Scrape the freshly excised surface with the end of a glass slide and transfer to a fresh slide, spreading the material thinly and evenly over the slide, using the original slide as a smear.
Specimen identification
Prior to testing, a total egg count of 10 animals should be performed to verify that there are enough parasites to perform the test (an average worm egg count of at least 300 eggs/g of feces is required). Larval worm culture may be required to determine the presence of razorworm, which may need to be removed by closantel irrigation to prevent interference with the worm resistance test. Select the test animals at random, the total number selected depends on the number of treatment groups.
Randomize and identify 15 animals to each treatment group (using a system of syringe marking). ½ dose of ivermectin (to check for emerging ML resistance – not for normal drenching.. These groups should be added where the ML resistance status is unknown). Weigh the heaviest animals in each group and calculate the dose for that group based on the weight of the heaviest animal.
Check and calibrate the flush equipment to ensure the gun is delivering the correct volume. Ensure that the samples from individual sheep are in separate containers and that the treatment groups are clearly indicated.
Varroa mite sugar test (bees)
Tissue fixation: For most soft organs, a 2 x 2 x 1 cm piece of tissue should be fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin at a volume ratio of 1 part tissue to 10 parts formalin. If specimens are kept in this volume of formalin for more than 48 hours, then excess fixative can be discarded before shipping to the laboratory. If necessary, the brain can be cut transversely in the anterior parts of the cerebral hemispheres to allow the formalin solution to penetrate into the ventricles.
Lengths of intestine should be cut at one end to allow penetration of the fixative into the lumen. Tissue selection: In addition to tissue samples with lesions, select sections of all major visceral organs (lung, heart, liver, kidney, intestine, spleen, and lymph nodes) for examination. Samples from large organ systems such as the vascular and neuromuscular systems should be identified and labeled separately.
Knowledge of the blood vessel, peripheral nerve, lymph node or muscle involved can be crucial to the diagnosis. Consider samples from the metastatic organ systems, such as the endocrine system, when clinical signs suggest some involvement.
Clotted Blood/Serum
Serum tubes containing clotted blood should be wrapped in cotton wool and packed in an insulated container (e.g., 'six-pack' foam Esky) with an ice pack. Ensure that the tubes do not come into direct contact with ice blocks and that the containers are kept cool during transport.
Kidney/Liver
Urine/Fluids
Transfer serum to a fresh 5 mL serum tube using a clean pasteur pipette or plastic sept for each sample. Antibody tests for mucosal disease, Porcine parvovirus, Equine infectious anemia, CAE, Bluetongue, EHD, EBL, Akabane, Aino, Infectious bronchitis, Infectious bursal disease, Avian influenza. Antibody Tests for Mucosal Disease, Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis, Ephemeral Fever, Equine Viral Arteritis, Equine Herpes 1, Equine Herpes 4, , Aino,.
The first sample should be taken from an animal during the acute stages of the disease with the second serum sample collected from the same animal two to four weeks later. A minimum of 4 ml of whole blood should be collected in 5 ml plastic screw cap serum tubes treated for clot retraction (See Serology sections for details of suppliers). Serum tubes containing whole blood should be wrapped in cotton wool and packed in an insulated container (eg 'six-pack' foam Esky) with an ice pack.
Ensure that tubes do not come into direct contact with ice brick and that containers are kept cool during transport. Serum samples can be stored frozen (unless for slide agglutination testing) before shipping to AHL.
Virus isolation
Samples for virus isolation should not be submitted without prior consultation with the AHL virology laboratory. Wherever possible, samples for virus isolation should be collected from animals in the acute, active stages of the disease. Upper respiratory tract and conjunctival swabs should be stored in a viral transport medium (supplied upon request by the laboratory) during transport.
Fresh tissue samples for virus isolation should be accompanied by fixed tissues for histopathological examination. Bovine papular stomatitis Scabies/skin scrapings Caprine papular stomatitis Whole blood/joints/lungs Encephalomyocarditis virus Heart/brain + rats Equine herpesvirus. Mucosal disease/viral diarrhea Whole blood/serum, (anticoagulated blood for < 2 months old), intestinal mucosa, spleen, mesenteric lymph node Newcastle disease Tracheal/cloacal swabs.
It is essential that, after collection, samples for virus isolation are forwarded to the laboratory with an absolute minimum delay. If samples can be delivered to the laboratory on the same day as collection, then they can be kept at 4°C during transit.
Virus identification by electron microscopy
If there is a delay of 24 hours or more when the samples reach the laboratory, the samples should be frozen (below -20°C) and transported in dry ice (if available) or packed with ice cubes.
Tissue impression smears
Services available, but not performed at laboratory
If live fish are not available - send 3 infected fish on ice or ice blocks; not frozen. It is very important when submitting samples for disease diagnosis that an accurate history be given along with any water quality data or a water sample. 3 lobsters or clams touched in a foam sky, cooled with ice bricks and covered with wet foam.
A sample of the water in which the crab or mollusk lived, in a clean glass container filled to the top. If live specimens are not available - send 3 affected crabs or molluscs to the ice or ice bricks; not frozen. Requirements for the collection and submission of samples are set out in the Enzootic Diseases Amendments 1999.
Notifiable Stock Diseases
Western Australia July 2005
Virulent leg (infection with thermostable S protease strains of Dichelobacter nodosus) (2) Virulent leg (infection with thermo-labile U5 protease strains of D. nodosus) (4). AHL provides a range of diagnostic, research and advisory services in a number of scientific disciplines including:. including necropsy, histopathology and electron microscopy). including bacteriology, virology, mycology, mycobacteriology). including analytical services in food and toxicology). Exemptions from service charges apply to suspected exotic and notifiable diseases, specified diseases and government-approved programs, and disease outbreaks that may provide new information or an improved understanding of animal health in Western Australia.
ANIMAL HEALTH LABORATORIES
