The Poultry Health System

Ongoing Avian Influenza Survelliance

PCR Testing Results Obtained within 2 Hours, Enabling a Rapid Response
Determine the Epidemiology of the Disease
Reimbursment by the Federal Government for Expenses Should Another Outbreak Occur

Chickens are submitted to Lasher Laboratory for routine exams (monitoring) or disease problem

Ante mortem exam conducted – clinical signs
Information collected – morbidity (disease) and mortality (death) rates
Collect whole blood, serum or plasma for testing
Post mortem exam (necropsy) conducted – record gross lesions and collect tissues for virus isolation, histopathology, or bacteriology using aseptic techniques

Samples from Lasher Laboratory are submitted to the Allen Laboratory and Worrilow Hall for processing In Vivo and In Vitro

Tracheal swabs/ tissue samples for virus isolation in Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) embryonated eggs
Serology – Hemmagglutination (HA), Hemmagglutination-Inhibition (HI), Agar Gel Precipitin test (AGP) and ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immune Serum Assay) testing which normally measures antibodies for specific disease agents
Formalin fixed tissues are processed and examined for microscopic lesions
Egg Inoculations
Chorioallantonic Sac (CAS)
Yolk Sac (YS)
Chorioallantonic Membrane
( CAM)


Virus Isolation	Formalin Fixed Samples are Processed in Histology Laboratory In Worrilow Hall

Slides are examined by a Poultry Pathologist, and Reports are Submitted to Clients by Phone, Hard Copy or E-mail.

Infectious agents are isolated, identified and used as antigens in experimental vaccines.
Live, inactivated or genetically engineered vaccines are tested for their ability to stimulate protective immune response (induction of acquired immunity).

Certain organisms which can cause disease (biohazard) require bio- containment.

The biosafety level (BSL) of Biocontainment varies with organisms used.