Molecular Biology

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Transport Medium for submitting samples is available, on request, from the laboratory.

  • RNA stabilisation reagent

  • Virus Transport Media (VTM)

Submitting Procedures​​

Dispatch samples as soon as possible to the Animal Health Laboratory.

Note: RNA is VERY labile. Samples must be dispatched as soon as practicable (within 24 hours). 

Veterinarian Use Only - AHL LabFact - Sampling birds for Avian Influenza investigation

​Test​​

Sample type

Comments

​Anthrax (b)
(conventional PCR)

​Clotted blood, tissue or environmental samplePlease contact the AHL prior to submission​
Avian Influenza /​ Newcastle disease (a) Flocked t​​​​racheal (or other ​respiratory system) swab, ​and cloacal swab in virus transport medium (VTM) VTM can be supplied by AHL

 AHL LabFact Sampling birds for Avian Influenza investigation (PDF 68Kb)​


Equine Influenza  (a)

Flocked nasal (or other respiratory system) swab in virus transport medium (VTM)

VTM can be supplied by AHL

Tasmanian Rickettsia-like Organism (TRLO)

Liver, kidney, spleen in RNA stabilisation reagent

RNA stabilisation reagent can be supplied by AHL



​Tasmanian Aquareovirus (TSRV)

​Liver, kidney, spleen in RNA stabilisation reagent

RNA stabilisation reagent can be supplied by AHL

​Pilchard Orthomyxovirus (POMV)
​Liver, kidney, spleen in RNA stabilisation reagent
RNA stabilisation reagent can be supplied by AHL


Ostreid Herpesvirus μ-1 (b)

Whole chilled Pacific oysters or gill and mantle in ethanol Please contact the AHL prior to submissions
Abalone viral ganglioneuritis (b) Whole chilled abalone or samples containing ganglion in ethanol Please contact the AHL prior to submission
Covert infection prevalence testing (Yersinia ruckeri, Tenacibaculum maritimum, Aeromonas salmonicida) Samples in enrichment broth Enrichment broth supplied by AHL with minimum 1 week notice.
Mycoplasma direct PCR Milk

Joint fluid or semen can also be submitted although the testing of these samples falls outside our current scope of accreditation.

Chytrid
(B. dendrobatidis) PCR

Dry swab of skin

Please contact the AHL prior to submission​

​Viral Encephalopathy and Retinopathy (b)
(Fish Nodaviruses - Betanodavirus)

​Brain or other nervous system tissue in RNA stabilisation reagent


Please contact the AHL to request virus transport media prior to sampling or when submitting these samples.

 (A) - List A notifiable dise​​ases

 (B) - ​List B notifiable d​iseases​​ (endemic to Australia)

​​​Additional tests are carried out at the laboratory but are not covered by our current scope of accreditation.

​​Test​​​

​Sample Type

​Comments

​​​​African Swine Fever (ASF) (A)​​
​Blood (EDTA), serum, tissues e.g. spleen, lymph nodes, tonsils or kidneys
​Exotic disease - please contact the laboratory
​Classical Swine Fever (CSF) (A)
​Blood (EDTA) and tissues or oro-nasal swabs

​​Exotic disease - please contact the laboratory.

​Bonamia spp.
​Gill and heart tissues
​Please contact the laboratory
​BVD PCR

Milk, other tissues
​Please contact the laboratory
Chlamydia abortus ​

​​Foetal stomach fluid, abomasal content, joint fluid or placental tissue​


​Chlamydia psittaci (B)
​Ocular, pharyngeal, nasal or cloacal swabs
or
intestinal excrement
or
tissues from kidney, lung, pericardium, spleen and liver

​Please contact the laboratory
​Flavobacterium psychrophilum

​Swab of lesion in enrichment broth
​Enrichment broth supplied by AHL with minimum of one week's notice
​Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) (A)
​Samples as deemed appropriate by the veterinarian
​Exotic disease - please contact the laboratory
​Hendra
​Bleed (EDTA) or swabs
​Please contact the laboratory
​Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR)

​Fresh tissue, swab (flocked) in VTM and semen
​Johne's
​Individual faecal samples in a sterile container which are pooled at the laboratory
​Please contact the laboratory
​Leptospira sp.
Foetal stomach fluid, abomasal content, joint fluid, urine or placental tissue
​Please contact the laboratory
​Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)​
​EDTA blood, saliva, nasal secretions and tissue homogenates or skin nodules and scabs
​Exotic disease - please contact the laboratory
​Mycobacterium spp. (not Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex)
​Sw​​ab of lesion in enrichment broth
​Enrichment broth supplied by AHL with minimum of one week's notice
Perkinsus spp. (A)
​Gill and mantle tissue or pedal muscle containing gross lesions, if present.
​Please contact the laboratory
Tasmanian Aquabirnavirus (TABV)
Liver, kidney, spleen in RNA stabilisation reagent
RNAlaterTM can be supplied by AHL

Toxoplasma gondii
​Animal tissues
​Tritrichomas foetus
​Bovine smegma and vaginal mucous
​Please contact the laboratory​
​Wobbly Possum Disease​
​Tissues from brain, liver or spleen
​Please contact the laboratory



Contact

Animal Health Laboratory - Specimen Reception

(Postal) PO Box 46,
KINGS MEADOWS TAS 7249,
(Delivery) 165 Westbury Road,
PROSPECT, TAS, 7250.