Test to exclude notifiable diseases in poultry (APHA1 TTE)
Submit samples for testing to exclude notifiable avian diseases (avian influenza and Newcastle disease) in poultry.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
Documents
Details
Vets can request laboratory testing of chicken or turkey flocks in cases where a Notifiable Avian Disease (NAD) is not formally suspected, but cannot be excluded from the differential diagnosis of a flock health or production problem.
NAD in poultry includes:
If testing rules out the presence of NAD then an investigation by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) will not take place. This means that statutory sampling (and therefore laboratory testing) are not needed and restrictions on the premises can be lifted.
APHA will only begin an official investigation and impose restrictions if the results from the Testing To Exclude (TTE) submission suggest that NAD may be present.
Before you submit any samples
Contact APHA before you submit any samples:
England: 03000 200 301
Wales: 03003 038 268
Scotland: call your local Field Services Office
Submitting samples
- Contact APHA to discuss the case with the duty vet. If the duty vet agrees that there is no suspicion of a notifiable disease, you can submit samples for testing.
- Complete the attached Exclusion Testing for NAD form and a poultry and gamebirds disease diagnosis (APHA2) form.
- Submit the forms to APHA Weybridge with the samples.
- Inform the lab of the samples’ expected time of arrival.
Informing the lab of the samples’ expected time of arrival
During laboratory open hours you need to phone and email the lab with the expected time of arrival of the samples. Outside these hours the APHA duty vet is responsible for contacting APHA Weybridge.
Telephone: 0208 225 7671
Email: virologyoffice@apha.gov.uk
Include the following information in the email:
- case authorisation reference number
- owner and farm or holding name
- number of epidemiological groups sampled
- number of samples submitted
- expected date and time of arrival of the submission
Laboratory open hours
Weybridge laboratory is open:
- Monday to Thursday: 9am to 5pm
- Friday: 9am to 4pm
The testing laboratory cannot be contacted outside of these hours, or on Bank Holidays.
Where to send samples
Avian Virology
B70 (TTE)
APHA Weybridge
New Haw
Addlestone
Surrey
KT15 3NB
You must follow the rules for packaging and sending pathological material.
Ensure that the case authorisation reference number provided by the APHA duty vet is clearly written and visible on the outer packaging.
Taking samples
Samples should ideally be taken from birds in the acute phase of infection and which have been sick for up to 5 days.
- Take 20 cloacal swabs and 20 oropharyngeal swabs for each epidemiological group (birds which share the same air space).
- Use fine-tipped wire stemmed sterile dry swabs or plastic stemmed swabs to collect samples. Do not use wooden stemmed swabs, swabs in charcoal or other transport media as these can interfere with the test. No blood samples should be submitted.
- Clearly label all samples as instructed in part 4 of the ‘Exclusion Testing for NAD’ form.
You may be able to submit fewer samples if there are less than 20 birds in an epidemiological group, but this must be agreed in advance with the duty vet.
Fees
Search for the fees, codes and maximum turnaround times for each test on the APHA surveillance price list for farmed animals in England and Wales.
You must pay all the costs for the laboratory testing of the samples, and their collection, submission and transport to APHA Weybridge.
Farm vets in England and Wales are offered a subsidised service as part of APHA’s disease surveillance activities.
Samples must be received by 9am on a working day to be eligible for the in-hours testing charge rate.
Turnaround times
Results are usually available within 48 hours if samples are received during laboratory open hours. Samples received outside open hours will begin testing at 9am the next working day.
Do not contact the laboratory for results as this may cause a delay.
APHA differential diagnosis services
You can pay APHA to carry out a differential diagnosis investigation in cases where testing has either:
- excluded NAD
- ruled out avian influenza and Newcastle disease, but there is still suspected avian disease
This can be done on the samples already received, or on additional samples from the farm.
Contact the Avian Species Expert Group veterinary lead for this service:
Telephone: 03000 600 010
Email: siu@apha.gov.uk