Respiratory disease

A.  History

  • Provide information on herd/flock size, numbers of animals affected, animal age, onset/duration of problem, vaccination history, and any treatments administered.

B. Submitting samples

  • Select histology samples from several areas of affected and unaffected lung, including the junction between affected and unaffected lobules, if possible.
  • Please request specific tests, and submit separate tissue samples, in separate labeled Whirl-Pak bags, for each lab section.

C.  Samples required

Swine pneumonia

Histology: Formalin-fixed sections of SEVERAL pieces of lung from cranial and caudal lobes, including borders of affected and unaffected areas, trachea, bronchial lymph node.

• Immunohistochemistry is available on formalin-fixed tissues for PRRSV, PCV-2, influenza A virus.

Bacteriology: Affected areas of lung, pleural fluid/swab – routine culture.

• Atrophic rhinitis - submission of nasal swabs from several pigs is necessary.  Consult laboratory for numbers and to obtain swabs (provided for a fee) for testing.

Mycoplasmology:

• M. hyopneumoniae PCR and molecular typing: lung, oral fluids. Note: M. hyopneumoniae cannot be cultured. • M. hyorhinis PCR: lung; Mycoplasma culture.

Virology:

Serology:

  • Serum samples from animals of various age groups for PRRSV, influenza A virus (H1N1, H3N2), M. hyopneumoniae, and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.  Consult lab for submission details - e.g., the number of samples to be submitted, age of animals to be sampled.
  • PCR: Influenza A, PRRSV, PCV-2,3: lung, tonsil, nasal swabs in virus transport medium.
  • ELISA: PRRSV, M. hyopneumoniae, PRCV (antigenically distinguishable from TGEV)
  • HI: paired sera for Influenza A virus (H1N1, H3N2)
  • Herd screening: APP serology is only useful on a herd basis.  Please phone the laboratory before submitting large numbers of sera.

Bovine pneumonia

Histology: Formalin-fixed sections of SEVERAL pieces of lung from cranial and caudal lobes, including borders

of affected and unaffected areas, trachea, bronchial lymph nodes.

• Immunohistochemistry is available on formalin-fixed tissues for BVDV, BCV, BoHV-1 (IBRV), BRSV.

Bacteriology: Affected areas of lung, pleural fluid/swab, tracheobronchial aspirate, or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid – routine culture.

Mycoplasmology:

• Mycoplasma bovis PCR and/or culture: lung from the borders of pneumonic areas.  Deliver or freeze immediately.

Virology:

• PCR for BVDV, BoHV-1/IBRV, BRSV, bovine coronavirus, bovine parainfluenza 3 virus: lung, trachea, nasal swabs.

Note: BoHV-1 (IBRV), BRSV, and PI3 are included in the bovine respiratory panel PCR (brvp3).

Serology: BoHV-1 (IBRV), BPIV-3, BRSV, bovine coronavirus (BCV), BVDV 1 and 2, and bovine adenovirus (BAdV): submit paired sera from affected animal and/or survivors/herdmates.

Parasitology: Feces for Baermann for lungworm larvae.

Comprehensive Bovine respiratory disease panel – includes  Bovine viral diarrhea virus/Bovine adenovirus/Bovine coronavirus – PCR (bvdadco); Bovine respiratory virus panel – PCR (BoHV-1/IBR, BPIV-3, BRSV) ( brvp3), Mycoplasma bovis – PCR (mbpcr), Bacterial culture, food/fiber producing animals (other than swine) (cultf, bsetup).

Two samples needed per test.

PCR - Collect swabs with virus transport medium (VTM) or alternatively a swab in 2 mL of sterile saline in a red-top tube. Tissue in leakproof container. May pool up to 5 together. Indicate pooling instruction on submission form.

Bacterial culture - swab in bacterial medium or lung tissue. No pooling. 

If pooling is requested, individual tests of the panel will be ordered rather than the panel.

AHL splitting charges may apply.

Sheep/goat pneumonia

Histology: Formalin-fixed sections of SEVERAL pieces of lung from cranial and caudal lobes, including borders of affected and unaffected areas, trachea, bronchial lymph node.

        • Immunohistochemistry is available for small ruminant lentiviruses CAEV, MVV.

Bacteriology: Affected areas of lung, pleural fluid/swab – routine culture.

Mycoplasmology: Frozen or fresh lung for Mycoplasma culture.

Virology: BoHV-1, BRSV, BPIV-3 (Bovine respiratory PCR panel); CAEV PCR.

Serology: OPP, CAEV ELISA.

Parasitology: Feces for Baermann to detect lungworm larvae.

Equine pneumonia

Histology: Formalin-fixed sections of SEVERAL pieces of lung from cranial and caudal lobes, including borders of affected and unaffected areas, trachea, bronchial lymph node.

        • Immunohistochemistry is available for EHV-1.

Bacteriology: Affected areas of lung, pleural fluid/swab, tracheobronchial aspirate, or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Mycoplasmology: Frozen or fresh lung, pleural fluid for culture.

Virology:

        • PCR for EHV-1, influenza A: lung, bronchial lymph nodes, nasal/pharyngeal swabs.

Serology: Paired sera for EHV-1, EHV-2, equine rhinitis A/B viruses, influenza A virus.

Dog/cat pneumonia

Histology: Formalin-fixed sections of SEVERAL pieces of lung from cranial and caudal lobes, including borders of affected and unaffected areas, trachea, bronchial lymph node, heart, liver, kidney, spleen.

• Immunohistochemistry is available on formalin-fixed tissues for canine distemper virus (CDV), feline coronavirus (FIP), feline herpesvirus, influenza A virus.

Bacteriology: Affected areas of lung, pleural fluid/swab, tracheobronchial aspirate, or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Virology:

• Canid herpesvirus I (CaHV-1), canine adenovirus 2 (CAdV-2), canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV) triplex PCR (chappcr).

• Feline calicivirus, felid herpesvirus PCR panel (fcfhpcr).

• Canine distemper virus (CDV) PCR: lung, retropharyngeal/bronchial lymph nodes, kidney, bladder, brain, tonsillar or conjunctival scrapings.

• Influenza A virus PCR: lung, tonsillar or conjunctival scrapings.

Serology: Paired serology for influenza A virus, canine adenovirus (CAdV), CPIV (canine parainfluenza virus)  
       CaHV.

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