MU Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

MU VMDL Closed in Observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Please make note we will be closed Monday, January 17th.

Emergencies

For emergency necropsy cases, please call the on-duty students at (573) 864-7160.  For other types of emergencies, please call the lab director, Dr. Shuping Zhang, at (573) 529-4691.

How to Ship a Package to Ensure Your Package Has Arrived Safely During Reduced Holiday Hours

To help ensure your shipment isn’t delayed when submitting via FedEx/UPS courier delivery, please send to:

Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab
901 E. Campus Loop
Columbia, MO 65211

Or, if submitting via US Post Office; use the following PO Box address:

MU VMDL
PO Box 6023
Columbia, MO 65205

MU Lab Aids Surveillance Efforts for Deadly African Swine Fever

Recent reports of African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreaks in the Dominican Republic and Haiti have heightened surveillance efforts for the highly contagious viral swine disease in the United States.

Shuping Zhang
Shuping Zhang

University of Missouri’s Shuping Zhang, professor and director of the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL) in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, explains the dangers of ASF and the role the VMDL plays in testing for the virus to help protect animal health and the country’s agriculture industry.

What is African Swine Fever and why is it so concerning?

ASF is a highly infectious and deadly viral disease that affects both domestic and wild swine. It originated in Africa but has since spread to Europe, Asia and recently to the Caribbean.

An outbreak in the U.S. would be devastating to our economy, particularly the agriculture industry. Governments often block pork imports from countries with confirmed cases of ASF, so there would be enormous economic consequences if we were unable to continue exporting pigs and pork products abroad. A 2018 outbreak in China, where half of the earth’s pigs are located, killed more than 100 million pigs.

Have there been any confirmed cases in the U.S. yet and can humans get sick from eating pork contaminated with African Swine Fever?

The good news is there has never been a confirmed case of ASF in the U.S., and we hope to keep it that way. Also, it is not a zoonotic disease; So it is not possible for humans to get sick from ASF by eating contaminated pork.

What symptoms should pig farmers look out for?

The clinical signs of ASF include high fever, lethargy, depression, skin discoloration, and possibly vomiting and diarrhea. Other signs to look for include swollen or enlarged spleens and lymph nodes.

The MU Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory receives swine tissue samples from across Missouri to conduct tests for African Swine Fever.
The MU Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory receives swine tissue samples from across Missouri to conduct tests for African Swine Fever.
The Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory has communication plans in place to alert officials in the event a test comes back positive.
The Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory has communication plans in place to alert officials in the event a test comes back positive.

What role does MU’s Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory play in monitoring African Swine Fever?

The VMDL collaborates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state veterinarians and pork producers to conduct general surveillance testing and testing of sick pigs. We receive swine tissue samples from swine farms and slaughter houses across Missouri.

After receiving samples, we produce test results within 6 hours and if a test were to come back positive, we have plans to alert state and federal authorities within minutes. That way, decisions regarding quarantining and the imports or exports of pork products can be made immediately to protect United States trade interests and quickly identify the extent of the outbreak.

What is the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory’s testing capacity?

We have been testing for ASF for many years. Currently, we have six staff members who are certified to test for ASF and eight polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines for ASF testing. Our current capacity is about 1,500 test samples per day. But, if an outbreak were to occur, we could immediately increase our capacity given our resources.

How does the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory help protect the state’s agriculture industry?

There are 60 labs across the country that are part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). The MU VMDL is the only NAHLN Level 1 lab in Missouri, the highest level a lab can achieve, and the only animal health lab in Missouri that is accredited by the American Association of Veterinarian Laboratory Diagnosticians.

We take pride in our responsibility and obligation to protect both animal health and the agriculture industry, which is very important for Missouri’s economy. By testing for and diagnosing viruses, bacteria and pathogens, we help Missourians stay safe while training the next generation of veterinarian diagnosticians and supporting the university’s research mission.

To arrange an interview with Shuping Zhang, please contact Brian Consiglio with the MU News Bureau at 573-882-9144 or consigliob@missouri.edu.

Story courtesy of Show Me Mizzou

Guidelines for Postmortem Chronic Wasting Disease

The MU VMDL offers two different options for postmortem CWD testing: ELISA and immunohistochemistry (IHC). See below for additional information about the available testing.

Guidelines for Postmortem Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Testing at the MU Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

How do I decide which test I need? Should I request ELISA or IHC?

Captive cervids from herds enrolled in the Federal CWD Herd Certification Program (HCP) must be tested by IHC. Both obex and retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) must be collected by a certified sampler or veterinarian and fixed in formalin prior to shipment to the laboratory.

Wild/free-ranging cervids or cervids from Missouri hunting preserves may be tested by ELISA. Positive ELISA must be confirmed by IHC. Missouri guidelines for white-tailed deer require only retropharyngeal lymph node be tested. Free-ranging elk may also be tested by ELISA, but both obex and retropharyngeal lymph node must be submitted fresh or frozen for testing.

What are the differences in price, turnaround time, sample type, etc.?

  CWD IHC CWD ELISA
Testing Section Histology Serology
Price $45.00 for both obex + RPLN $21.50 per sample
Sample Type Formalin fixed tissue Fresh or frozen tissue
Turnaround Time* 10 business days or less
(set up every other week)		 5 business days or less
(set up once a week)
Shipping Requirements Room temperature, expedited shipping not required On ice via expedited courier (preferably overnight)

*Note: Turnaround times may be longer during high volume seasons.

What if I’m not a certified sampler? Will the MU VMDL accept whole heads and collect the appropriate samples for me?

Yes, the MU VMDL will accept heads for CWD testing. A $35 dissection fee will apply in addition to the testing charges for each head submitted. Note: ear with official ID tag must be included.

Who should I contact with questions?

For questions regarding the CWD HCP or to become a certified sampler, please contact Missouri Department of Agriculture Epidemiologist, Dr. Sarah Reinkemeyer (Sarah.Reinkemeyer@mda.mo.gov).

For questions regarding laboratory testing at the MU VMDL, please call 573-882-6811.

Holiday Hours

The VMDL will be closed Monday, September 6 in observance of Labor Day.

Emergencies
For emergency necropsy cases, please call the on-duty students at (573) 864-7160.  For other types of emergencies, please call the lab director, Dr. Shuping Zhang, at (573) 529-4691.

How to Ship a Package to Ensure Your Package Has Arrived Safely During Reduced Holiday Hours
To help ensure your shipment isn’t delayed when submitting via FedEx/UPS courier delivery, please send to:

Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab
901 E. Campus Loop
Columbia, MO 65211

Or, if submitting via US Post Office; use the following PO Box address:

MU VMDL
PO Box 6023
Columbia, MO 65205

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 2020, the VMDL processed approximately 52,036 accessions and performed more than 142,000 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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901 E. Campus Loop
Columbia, MO 65211

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