Bovine Respiratory multiplex PCRFrequently Asked Questions

Please contact the Biobest team on 0131 440 2628 to discuss how HiHealth Herdcare membership can benefit your farm.

What is the test? The multiplex PCR is a useful tool for investigating the cause of respiratory disease in cattle. The test detects nucleic acid from 8 pathogens, including the most common bacterial and viral causes of bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

What pathogens does the PCR test detect? The targets detected are:BoHV-1(causative agent of IBR)PI3RSVBovine coronavirus

What samples can be used? The test can be run on nasopharyngeal swabs (long plain swabs are available from us, £3.50 each), bronchoalveloar lavage samples (in PBS) and tissue samples (lung, trachea). Up to 5 samples of the same type can be pooled for testing, and this can be a really valuable tool when screening groups of calves to detect what pathogens are present and inform vaccination strategies. Swabs in transport media are not suitable for testing.

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Mycoplasma bovisHistophilus somniPasteurella multocidaMannheimia haemolytica

How fast can I expect a result? Testing is carried out once a week, currently on Thursdays, although more often when sample numbers received are high. Samples received by Thursday morning of each week will be tested with results available the following day.

Where do I send samples?Samples should be sent to the address at the bottom of the submission form: Biobest Laboratories Ltd6 Charles Darwin HouseThe Edinburgh TechnopoleMilton Bridge,PenicuikEH26 0PY

I have more questions who can I speak with? For further information please contact the laboratory to speak with one of our vets. Call 0131 440 2628 or email enquiry@biobest.co.uk.

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Which animals should I test? When selecting animals for testing, consider both the make-up of management groups and the duration of clinical signs. A pragmatic approach for investigation of respiratory disease in groups of cattle is pooled testing of 3 to 5 animals using nasopharyngeal swabs. Where there are cattle at different stages of disease then pooled testing of 3 to 5 animals based on similar duration of clinical signs / clinical presentation may provide better information, for example of viral versus bacterial involvement. Testing within management groups is likely to provide more meaningful results than pooling samples across groups.

What if I don’t want to test straightaway? Samples can be collected and stored frozen at the practice (-20degC), either to avoid posting over the weekend or to assess if first line treatment has led to an improvement if appropriate. Ideally the samples should then be sent to the lab with freezer packs to prevent thawing.

© Crown copyright. Image provided by APHA.

Pneumonia due to Histophilus somni and Mannheimia haemolytica in a 20 month old fattener

RSV pneumonia in a three month old calf

Is the test preferable to bacteriological culture? Culture can be compromised by various factors including overgrowth of contaminants, especially when samples are delayed in the post. This is particularly the case for tissue samples from on farm post mortem examinations. In addition, culture for Mycoplasma species can be difficult, as they are slow growing and do not form typical colonies on routinely used media. The PCR test is not compromised by tissue autolysis or sample degradation; it detects the nucleic acid of the target pathogens and does not require viable organisms to be present in the samples. On the other hand the PCR detects only the pathogens for which it has targets, although these do represent the most common causes of pneumonia in cattle. If antimicrobial sensitivity testing is required then bacteriology is necessary

Does the PCR test have any advantage over serology? In young calves, less than 4 months of age, it can be difficult to interpret serology results due to the presence of maternally derived immunity. In addition most antibody ELISAs do not differentiate between vaccinal titres and antibodies arising from natural infection. Paired serology, on a group basis is often necessary to prove a causal link between clinical disease and an agent.

What is the cost of the PCR test? The cost of testing is £60 for individual swab samples, £75 for individual BAL or tissue samples and £75 if samples submitted are pooled at the laboratory for testing. Please specify on the submission form if you require individual or pooled testing.

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