Diagnostics – Page 2 – Swine in Minnesota

PCR clamping for selectively sequencing wild-type PRRSV in vaccinated herds

This week, we are sharing a report by Harmon et al. from Iowa State University regarding PCR clamping. This project was funded by AAVLD Thermo Fisher Innovation Grant in Veterinary Diagnostic Medicine and ISU-VDL.

Key points

Conventional ORF5 sequencing may not differentiate between wild-type or vaccine-like.
Blocking the amplification of vaccine-like sequences it is possible to increase the likelihood of wild-type amplification.
Clamping allows the amplification of the wild-type with mixtures containing as little as 10% of a mixture with the vaccine-like.

A quick guide to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae diagnostics

Sample types for early detection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is a popular post on this blog. Dr. Pieters, head of the MycoLAb at the University of Minnesota created an online quick guide to help swine practitioners decide which sample type they should collect if they are looking for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.

This guide is available at http://z.umn.edu/MycoplasmaDiagnostics

A new diagnostic test to differentiate rotavirus subtypes

In this paper published in the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, PhD-candidate Talita Resende from Dr. Vannucci’s lab, shares a novel diagnostic technique to detect various rotavirus species using newly developed markers.

2016 Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Report: a new director, PRRS, PEDV, and Senecavirus

The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory’s mission is to protect and promote animal and human health through early detection and monitoring of animal diseases.
The 2016 report was published last month and we are compiling here the highlights related to swine. We can also read the full 2016 UMN VDL report.

In April 2016, the VDL welcomed its new director Dr. Jerry Torrison.

More than 50% of the procedures in the VDL were related to the porcine species last year.

A new multiplex PCR test that combines Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv), Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) and Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus (TGEV) into one assay was implemented into the Molecular Diagnostic clinical testing schedule effective October 31st, 2016. The new assay provides clients with timely, quality results for all three viruses at the same time. The VDL ran 40,131 PEDv and PDCoV Multiplex Real Time PCR tests and 5,238 Triplex (PEDv/TGE/PDCoV) RT-PCR tests.
Additionally, the Serology lab conducted intensive testing in collaboration with Zoetis for validation of PED antibody test kit which they are planning to release on the market soon.

Seneca Valley Virus PCR was validated and is part of routine testing. 3,205 Senecavirus A EZ Real time RT-PCR tests were run. An ELISA test for antibodies to Seneca Valley Virus in pigs is also available.

The IHC lab participated in the 2016 AAVLD/NVSL Program for Inter-laboratory Comparison, and scored 100% in its detection of Porcine Circovirus type 2 in the test samples provided.

Science Page: Continued reporting on unusual CNS cases

This is our Friday rubric: every week a new Science Page from the Bob Morrison’s Swine Health Monitoring Project. The previous editions of the science page are available on our website.

This week, the Science Page focuses on unusual Central Nervous system (CNS) cases that have been emerging in the past few years. Etiological agents like porcine teschovirus (PTV), porcine enteroviruses (PEV), porcine sapelovirus (PSV), and atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV) have been implicated in those cases leading to the creation of a set of criteria to positively identify a CNS case.

Three criteria are therefore required: identifying the clinical signs, a positive PCR test for one or more of the viruses, and histological results consistent with viral encephalitis from spinal cord or brain tissue.

Key points from this week edition:

An apparent increase in the number of cases associate with atypical neurological signs have been observed over the last two years.
Since then, the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories (VDLs) have identified a set of criteria required to meet the CNS case definition.
MSHMP will continue reporting CNS cases diagnosed at the KSU, ISU, SDSU, and UMN VDLs.

Take a look at the number of cases recorded since September 2016.