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Wednesday, June 20, 2007
K-State Veterinary Diagnostic Lab debuts innovative bovine health test
Source: Dr. Gary Anderson, KSVDL, 785-532-4454
By Joe Montgomery, 785-532-4193,
jmontgom@vet.k-state.edu
The Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL) will be the first laboratory in the United States to use a highly sensitive test to accurately detect bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). For cattle producers the virus causes economic losses through decreased weight gains, decreased milk production, reproductive losses and death. It has been estimated that 80 percent of cattle in this country have been exposed to BVDV, and that 70 to 90 percent of infections go undetected, without visible symptoms.
Developed and evaluated in Europe by AnDiaTec, a German company, this innovative new test identifies and differentiates the two types of BVDV infections in cattle: persistent infection and transient infection. According to European governmental reference labs, the test can detect all 68 reference strains of BVDV, including atypical European and American strains such as HOBI and H138 strains. The KSVDL recently completed training in the administration of the test.
“We’re very pleased to provide the BVDV test to veterinarians and producers of Kansas and surrounding states,” said Dr. Gary Anderson, KSVDL director. “Prior technology was viewed as too difficult, unreliable or too costly to run in a high throughput environment.”
The BVDV test components have been submitted to USDA for sale and distribution approval.
“The polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) test utilizes a proprietary process (a lysis buffer) that eliminates the need for the costly, labor-intensive and time-consuming step of extracting RNA from the sample,” said Dr. Dick Oberst, director of molecular diagnostics for the KSVDL. “When this lysis buffer is coupled with AnDiaTec’s reagents, we have the confidence to detect a single positive ear notch in a pool of samples within a few short hours.”
AnDiaTec developed the reagents and automated instrumentation-testing system in close association with German, Austrian and Swiss BVDV eradication programs and key opinion leaders around the world. Some labs are expecting to test more than 1 million animals per year — about 4,000 to 5,000 tests per day. Therefore, high quality results, smooth processes and fast turnaround are a must.
“I have toured K-State’s new lab facilities that are designed to handle the high volume of testing at the KSVDL, and I’m very impressed,” said Dr. Johannes Kehle, AnDiaTec owner. “They will have no problem in receiving, processing and turning out the highest quality results in the United States.”
Additional Information:
Samples to Collect:
ear notches (dry) or blood (unclotted)
Shipping:
on ice within 2 days of collection – overnight recommended, please freeze the ear notches if they cannot be shipped within 2 days
Results:
via fax, webAccess, or phone
Turn-around time:
24 hours after receipt of sample
Pricing:
$4.20/head, $3.60/head for 1,000+ annually, and $3.30/head for 10,0000+ annually – call KSVDL to set account and pricing (866-512-5650)
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