Recommendations for sampling and dispatching of blood samples for testing of EQUINE NOTIFIABLE DISEASES
General recommendations:
To avoid any delays, please strictly follow these recommendations for sampling.
Sampling:
- Use proper vacutainer tubes from CVRL or vacutainer from Becton Dickinson UK Cat. No. 368430. Other tube types do not fit in our centrifuges.
- After taking blood from the jugular vein, the blood in the tubes has to settle.
- Keep the tubes at room temperature for at least 2 hours. During this time, the serum will separate from the blood clot. Do not freeze or refrigerate the blood during this period.
- After the serum has separated from the clot, please take the following steps:
- If the tubes can reach CVRL within 2 to 4 hours after the initial settling of the blood, send them without centrifugation and without decanting the serum into new tubes. However, the tubes must be kept at +4°C (not frozen) and reach CVRL in a cool container.
- If the blood has to be sent to CVRL by courier, the vacutainer tubes that have been kept at room temperature must be centrifuged, and the serum (without any traces of blood) poured into new tubes. To avoid leakage, the tubes should be made of plastic and should be tightly sealed with a lid and paraffin tape. The serum must reach CVRL frozen!
- Please submit at least 7 ml of serum.
A completed requisition form signed by an acknowledged veterinarian must accompany all despatched samples. The forms can be obtained from CVRL or downloaded from this site.
CLICK HERE FOR "REQUISITION FORM" LINK IN THE NAVIGATION-TREE
Testing Guidelines:
- Do not send samples to CVRL at weekends or on any other festive holidays.
- CVRL working days are from Monday to Friday from 08h00 (8am) to 16h00 (4pm).
- Our address, email, telephone and fax numbers are included in the Contact Information part of the 'Navigation Tree'
- Results will only be released when payment is settled. They will be published on the website or emailed to you. They can also be posted to you upon request.
- Online Credit Card payment is available in our portal. Please register for availing this facility.
- It is crucial to send samples to CVRL at least 14 days before the import/export of the horse and vital that your fax is working.
Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM)
- Samples: Swabs in Amies transport media with charcoal.
- Site of Sampling: Commonly prescribed site: Mares - cervix, uterus, clittoral fossa, clittoral sinuses; Stallions - urethra, urethral fossa and diverticulum, prepuce, pre-ejaculatory fluid.
Note: The selection of the sample, the site from where the sample is to be collected and the number of swabs per animal is decided completely by the authorized veterinarian.
If any more clarifications needed, please refer the following link https://codes.hblb.org.uk/index.php/page/40 - Time of collection: Antibiotic treatment for whatever cause should cease at least 7 days for systemic treatment and 21 days for local treatment before swabbing.
- Transportation: Swabs must be transported cool and must reach CVRL not later than 48 hours after collection; recommended is 36 hours.
- Swabs in Amies transport media with charcoal can be purchased from CVRL by prior arrangement.
- Date and time of collection of the samples should be mentioned on the requisition form.
Strangles isolation
- Samples: Swabs with Amie's transport medium and lavage
- Site of Sampling: Naso pharyngeal, direct from freshly burst abscess, Guttural pouch lavage.
- Time of collection: Within seven days of export
- Transportation: Swabs must be transported cool and must reach CVRL not later than 36 hours after collection; Preferably as soon as possible.
- Swabs with Amie's transport medium can be purchased from CVRL by prior arrangement.
- Date and time of collection of the samples should be mentioned on the requisition form.
Please refrain from telephoning CVRL for results.
- Results will be available after the duration specified for the test and when payment has been received.
Duration:
The time required for the testing is as follows :
| Disease | Duration (Working days) |
|---|---|
| African Horse Sickness (AHS) | 4 - 5 |
| Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) | 4 - 6 |
| Dourine | 4 - 5 |
| Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) | 7 - 14 |
| Glanders | 4 - 5 |
| Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) | 4 - 5 |
| Piroplasmosis | 4 - 5 |
| Surra | 4 - 5 |
| Bank Details: |
|---|
Central Veterinary Research Laboratory |
*** CVRL will not release the results until payment is finalized.