Equine infectious anaemia

Description

Equine infectious anaemia (EIA) is a bloodborne disease caused by a horse specific lentivirus in the retrovirus family. It is transmitted by insects (horseflies, deer flies and stable flies).

EIA can manifest as an asymptomatic infection or as an acute or chronic disease. Acute signs may range from transient inappetance and mild thrombocytopaenia that may go undetected, to marked fever, weakness, severe anaemia, jaundice, tachypnoea and petechial haemorrhages of mucosae. Noticeable chronic signs include recurring bouts of fever accompanied with anaemia, marked thrombocytopaenia, depression, weight loss and dependent oedema.

There is no treatment or vaccine available for EIA. Iatrogenic infection is prevented via good hygiene and disinfection practices involving needles, syringes and equipment.

EIA was first noted in Australia in 1959 and is endemic along the inland rivers of central and western Queensland. The disease is rare in other parts of Australia and has never been reported in Tasmania or South Australia.

Diagnosis and tests available

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is supported by clinical signs. haematology, serology and histopathology. A positive AGID is conclusive evidence of EIA, however the AGID may occasionally be negative early in the disease course.

Tests available

Click on + in the tables below for sampling requirements and additional test information

	Code	Name	Samples required	Species	Turnaround time	Price (excl. GST)	Notes	Test days
	EIA_AGID	Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) Virus Antibody AGID	Clotted blood (Red top) 10 ml of blood (including at least 2ml of serum) collected into a plain red top tube submitted chilled	Equine	Up to 7D Note: Confirmatory testing may affect turnaround time.	$25.35	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays. ³ With the exception of Public Holidays- Please contact Customer Service to confirm submission and reporting dates around public holidays.	Wednesday & Friday³ ³ Note: With the exception of Public Holidays- Please contact Customer Service to confirm submission and reporting dates around public holidays.
	HIST_HE1	Histopathology – Preparation & Examination	Fixed Tissues- General Fresh tissues immediately placed in formalin Tissue pieces should not be greater than 1cm cubed to ensure proper fixation Submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a 10:1 ratio of formalin: tissue Fixed Tissues- Nervous tissues Submission of whole brain is required to ensure preservation of TSE target sites submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue Brains submitted for Nervous tissues are processed once a week, separate to general tissues to ensure consistent and reliable results. Urgent cases can be processed out of cycle if clearly marked on the Submission Form however this may reduce the quality of the brain histology results, so should only be requested in extremely urgent cases. Fresh Tissues Fresh tissues can be submitted following necropsy The quality of the tissues will be reduced due to the effects of autolysis so ideally fixed tissue should be submitted in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue	All species	Up to 10D	$84.95	D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.	Monday - Friday

Code

Name

Samples required

Species

Turnaround time

Price (excl. GST)

Notes

Test days

EIA_AGID

Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) Virus Antibody AGID

Clotted blood (Red top)

10 ml of blood (including at least 2ml of serum) collected into a plain red top tube submitted chilled

Equine

Up to 7D

Note: Confirmatory testing may affect turnaround time.

$25.35

D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.

³ With the exception of Public Holidays- Please contact Customer Service to confirm submission and reporting dates around public holidays.

Wednesday & Friday³

³ Note: With the exception of Public Holidays- Please contact Customer Service to confirm submission and reporting dates around public holidays.

HIST_HE1

Histopathology – Preparation & Examination

Fixed Tissues- General

Fresh tissues immediately placed in formalin
Tissue pieces should not be greater than 1cm cubed to ensure proper fixation
- Submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a 10:1 ratio of formalin: tissue

Fixed Tissues- Nervous tissues

Submission of whole brain is required to ensure preservation of TSE target sites
- submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue
Brains submitted for Nervous tissues are processed once a week, separate to general tissues to ensure consistent and reliable results. Urgent cases can be processed out of cycle if clearly marked on the Submission Form however this may reduce the quality of the brain histology results, so should only be requested in extremely urgent cases.

Fresh Tissues

Fresh tissues can be submitted following necropsy
The quality of the tissues will be reduced due to the effects of autolysis so ideally fixed tissue should be submitted in neutral buffered formalin at a ratio of 10:1 formalin: tissue

All species

Up to 10D

$84.95

D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays.

Monday - Friday

Additional Specimen Requirements:

Histopathology

Fixed tissue
Liver, kidney, spleen and lymph nodes Submit fixed in neutral buffered formalin at a10:1 ratio of formalin: tissue

Additional Information

Customer Service

Contact Customer Service for enquiries relating to testing and results, quotations and pricing, couriers, sample submission and invoicing.

NSW DPIRD's laboratories are committed to continual improvement of services. If you would like to provide feedback, please fill in and submit the online feedback form.

CONTACT DETAILS
Phone	1800 675 623
Email	laboratory.services@dpird.nsw.gov.au
Operating Hours	8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Friday (excluding public holidays) 8:30am-12:00pm Saturday (for deliveries only)
Postal Address	Private Bag 4008, Narellan NSW 2567

Quotations

For Animal export, Plant health or Veterinary quotations, please complete the online quotation request

Submission Forms

Veterinary Specimen Advice Form

Please Note: These documents are not fully web accessible, please contact Customer Service (laboratory.services@dpird.nsw.gov.au) for more information.

Courier services and specimen delivery

For NSW submissions, please contact the relevant Customer Service team for courier account details and to order consignment notes.

For submitters outside of NSW, Couriers can be contacted directly to make bookings and arrange collection of packages at the submitters own cost.

Commercial couriers may use either road or air transport and specimens should therefore be packed in accordance with International Air Transport Association (IATA) requirements. Most submission sent by veterinarians to the APHL for testing are defined as “Biological Substance Category B” and must be packed according to the IATA packing instructions 650 (Biological Substance Category B). As requirements for transport can change, customers should consult with their transport agent to obtain current requirements.

Samples may also be hand delivered to the site during normal business hours (8.30am - 4.30pm).

Sample Type	Laboratory	Street Address
Animal (including aquatic animals)	NSW Animal and Plant Health Laboratories (APHL)	EMAI, Woodbridge Road, Menangle NSW 2568