MU Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

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You are here: Home / Under the Scope – Winter 2021

Under the Scope – Winter 2021

Under the Scope - Winter 2021

MU VMDL Now Offering Streptococcus equi ssp. equi PCR Testing


“Strangles” is a highly contagious and costly upper respiratory disease of the horse. Most practitioners are comfortable with basic diagnosis and implementation of on-farm biosecurity measures, but our diagnosticians are frequently asked about testing of convalescent or possible carrier animals.

It’s important to remember that nasal shedding persists for two to three weeks in most animals, and horses can be infectious for at least six weeks after their purulent discharge has dried up. Persistent guttural pouch infection may result in intermittent shedding for years. In order to implement effective strangles control, these carrier animals must be detected through diagnostic testing.

Sensitivity and specificity of testing depends on a variety of factors: the sampling location, the sampling technique, the type of testing used (culture vs. polymerase chain reaction [PCR]), and the stage of infection. Bear in mind that nasopharyngeal or guttural pouch washes have increased sensitivity compared to nasal swabs due to the larger surface area sampled.

For convalescent or exposed horses, testing for carrier status should not begin until three weeks after resolution of clinical signs, or following exposure with no clinical signs. If the animal was treated with antibiotics, testing should begin no sooner than three weeks post-treatment.

To screen for carrier status, there are multiple testing protocols available. The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the AAEP recommend three nasopharyngeal or guttural pouch wash cultures be performed over a three-week period. Alternatively, one negative endoscopically guided guttural pouch lavage tested by PCR is sufficient to move animals out of isolation. Nasal swabs are less reliable in determining carrier status and at least five serial cultures or three PCR tests are recommended to rule out carrier status. When submitting specimens to the diagnostic laboratory please be sure to specify whether culture or PCR is desired. Swab specimens for PCR testing should be submitted in liquid media or saline, as gel swabs are inappropriate for PCR diagnostics. Please contact the Bacteriology or Molecular Diagnostics sections with any questions.

Reference:
Boyle AG, Timoney JF, Newton JR, et al. Streptococcus equi Infections in Horses: Guidelines for Treatment, Control, and Prevention of Strangles- Revised Consensus Statement. J Vet Intern Med 2018;32:633-647.


FDA Alert: Aflatoxin Contamination of Dog Food

This notice involves cases of confirmed Aflatoxin B1 & B2 contamination of a brand of dog food manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods. Samples of SPORTMIX Premium High Energy Dog Food have been analyzed by both the University of Missouri and North Dakota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories, and total Aflatoxin concentrations exceeding 500 ppb have been detected.

Please contact Tim Evans, DVM, MS, PhD, DACT, DABVT for additional information.


Necropsy Submission Reminders

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the VMDL is not able to offer after-hours necropsy drop off at this time. Necropsy examinations are performed six days per week (Monday-Saturday) and specimens may be submitted during normal business hours. Refrigerated conditions are recommended for storing specimens until they are received at the laboratory.

The VMDL will not accept live animals for necropsy (poultry excluded). Animals should be appropriately euthanized prior to submission. The Veterinary Health Center offers billable euthanasia services by appointment.


New MU VMDL Submission Forms Coming Soon!

Our submission forms are undergoing a complete redesign and will be released to our clients soon. Please keep an eye out and make sure you’re using the most current version of our form. If you have any feedback on our submission forms, we want to hear from you! Please contact VMDL Client Service Veterinarian at delaneyle@missouri.edu with questions, comments, or suggestions.

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Message from the Director

The University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL) is a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory and Missouri’s only laboratory accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The VMDL is a Level I Lab of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, Tier I Lab of the FDA Veterinary Laboratory Response Network, and a National Poultry Improvement Plan authorized lab. The VMDL maintains an effective quality assurance and quality control program.

The VMDL has formal anatomical pathology, clinical pathology, and clinical microbiology training programs. The VMDL faculty hold academic appointments in the Departments of Veterinary Pathobiology and Veterinary Biomedical Sciences. The director is administratively responsible to the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine for the overall operation of the laboratory and its multiple missions of public service, teaching, research and continuing education/extension.

The VMDL faculty and staff work diligently to provide relevant, timely and cost-effective diagnostic services to our clients and to create a positive learning environment for our students and residents. In 2021, the VMDL processed approximately 55,756 accessions and performed more than 162,000 diagnostic tests. The diagnostic service was utilized by veterinarians and owners in 105 counties in Missouri and 43 US states and Canadian provinces.

About the MU VMDL

The VMDL is a full-service laboratory accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). The VMDL provides in-depth laboratory diagnostic support to veterinary practitioners, livestock and poultry industry interests, companion animal interests, wildlife conservationists, scientists utilizing animals in their research throughout the university, state and regulatory officials, and clinicians of the MU Veterinary Health Center.

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