Infectious Diseases
Instrumentation currently used
N. 2 MAGO 4Stouch and MAGO PLUS 2 automatic immunoassay/immunofluorescence instruments;
N. 1 NIKON 80i ECLIPSE fluorescence microscope.
N. 1 QIAGEN automated total DNA/RNA extractor, QIAsymphony SP model;
N. 1 Automatic pipettor for the preparation of QIAGEN QIAgility PCR reactions;
N. 1 Thermo Fisher Sanger sequencer, SeqStudio Flex model;
N. 1 QIAGEN Pyrosequencing instrument, PyroMark Q48 Autoprep model;
N. 1 BIO-RAD Real Time PCR thermal cycler, CFX96 model;
N. 1 QIAGEN Real Time PCR thermal cycler, Rotor-Gene Q model;
N. 1 Analytik Jena end-point thermal cycler, BiometraTAdvanced 96 G model;
N. 1 QIAGEN automated capillary electrophoresis device, QIAxcel Advanced System model;
N. 1 Thermo Fisher DNA/RNA assay fluorometer, Qubit 4 model;
N. 1 AFI ventilated centrifuge, ISA 0.6L model;
N. 1 Haier -86 °C Biomedical freezer, Twin Cool series;
N. 1 BIO-RAD spectrophotometer, SmartSpec Plus model;
N. 1 Streamline laminar flow hood, SCV model.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES Chlamydophila psittaci
Type of sample/quantity required: serum, lithium-heparin plasma, K3 EDTA plasma (at least 0.5 ml);
Storage/shipping methods: the sample must be stored and shipped at refrigeration temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Waiting times: reports will be issued on Saturdays.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES: CRYPTOCOCCOSIS (immunological antigen test with or without titre)
Type of sample/quantity required: serum, lithium-heparin plasma, K3 EDTA plasma (at least 1 ml);
Storage/shipping methods: the sample must be stored and shipped at refrigeration temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Waiting times: reports on samples are issued within 15 days of reception.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES ELISA method: DIROFILARIA IMMITIS (antigen test)
Type of sample/quantity required: serum, lithium-heparin plasma, K3 EDTA plasma (at least 0.5 ml);
Storage/shipping methods: the sample must be stored and shipped at refrigeration temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: tests are performed on Wednesdays for all samples received by the day before the date of the tests; reports are issued on the same day as the tests;
Waiting times: reports are issued on Wednesdays
INFECTIOUS DISEASES ELISA method: FIV-FELV
Type of sample/quantity required: serum, lithium-heparin plasma, K3 EDTA plasma (at least 0.5 ml);
Storage/shipping methods: the sample must be stored and shipped at refrigeration temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: tests are performed on Wednesdays for all samples received by the day before the date of the tests; reports are issued on the same day as the tests; emergency tests can be requested (at an increased cost): such tests will be carried out and reported on the day on which samples are received;
Waiting times: reports are issued on Wednesdays
INFECTIOUS DISEASES ELISA method: LEISHMANIA (semi-quantitative method)
Type of sample/quantity required: serum, lithium-heparin plasma, K3 EDTA plasma (at least 0.5 ml);
Storage/shipping methods: the sample must be stored and shipped at refrigeration temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: tests are performed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for all samples received by the day before the date of the tests; reports are issued on the same day as the tests;
Waiting times: reports are issued on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES IFAT method
(Leishmania spp. Anaplasma phagocytophilum (HGE), Babesia caballi, Babesia canis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Brucella canis, Distemper (IgG+IgM), feline Coronavirus, Ehrlichia monocitaria (CME), Encephalitozoon cuniculi (IgG+IgM), Canine herpes virus, Leishmania spp., Neospora caninum (IgG+IgM), Rickettsia conorii (IgG+IgM), IgG IgMIgG+IgM, Theileria equi (Babesia equi), Toxoplasma gondii (IgG+IgM), IgG+IgM
Type of sample/quantity required: serum, lithium-heparin plasma, K3 EDTA plasma (at least 0.5 ml);
Storage/shipping methods: the sample must be stored and shipped at refrigeration temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: tests are performed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for all samples received by the day before the date of the tests; reports are issued on the same day as the tests;
Waiting times: reports are issued on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Molecular Biology
Type of sample/quantity required: the matrices to be analysed differ depending on the test to be carried out, however, some precautions are necessary to avoid failure to perform the test. For example, send whole blood and marrow in test tubes with anticoagulant but not serum or plasma, use sterile swabs with no transport medium, ensure that smears are sent on slides (such as those initially used for cytological examination) with good cellularity, send biopsies embedded in paraffin or saline but not formalin, and send faeces in containers suitable for their sampling;
Storage/shipping methods: if samples are not shipped the same day, they can be stored at 4°C for a few days (in the case of fresh matrices such as blood and tissue in physiological saline) or at ambient temperature (including tissues and slides). Samples can be shipped at ambient temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Waiting times: reporting times vary depending on the technique used, but generally do not exceed 5 working days.
KNOTT TEST (detection of microfilariae in peripheral blood)
Type of sample/quantity required: at least 1 ml of whole blood in K3 EDTA;
Storage/shipping methods: the sample must be stored and shipped at refrigeration temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Waiting times: reports are issued on the same day as the reception.
PREVACCINAL IMMUNOLOGICAL SCREENING FOR CANINE INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(canine infectious hepatitis, parvovirus and distemper)
Type of sample/quantity required: serum, lithium-heparin plasma, K3 EDTA plasma (at least 0.5 ml);
Storage/shipping methods: the sample must be stored and shipped at refrigeration temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Waiting times: reports will be issued on Saturdays.
PREVACCINAL IMMUNOLOGICAL SCREENING FOR FELINE INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(feline panleukopenia, herpes virus, calicivirus)
Type of sample/quantity required: serum, lithium-heparin plasma, K3 EDTA plasma (at least 0.5 ml);
Storage/shipping methods: the sample must be stored and shipped at refrigeration temperature;
Reception days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Examination/reporting days: every day from Monday to Saturday;
Waiting times: reports will be issued on Saturdays.