Swine

Post-mortems are an important part of our work, we are able to examine all sizes of swine from piglets to sows. Results of necroscopies and, if necessary, photos of altered  organs are digitally reported promptly.

Transport of diagnostic sample material

For longer-lasting transport or shipment the sample material should be transported under cooled conditions. Diagnostic material has to be shipped according to VO (EG) 1774/2002 double-bagged and in new, securely sealed and leakproof vessels.

AniCon is registered for handling category 2 material according to  Reg (EC) No. 1069/2009 registration no.: DE 03 453 0003 02.

Every shipment has to be send with an according accompanying document.

The corresponding documents are linked above for download.

Receiving of sample material at AniCon

We receive your sample material from Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Please note that live animals are accepted from 08:00 am to 03:00 pm and only with your advance notification (phone +49 4473 9438 - 30).

Outside business hours we provide a small customer lab. The lab is equipped with fridges for placing your samples. If you prefer to initiate a bacteriological examination by yourself you might use the provided incubator and all necessary material.

If you would like to use the customer lab for the first time please do not hesitate to contact us.

In urgent cases and prior agreement necropsies and further diagnostics can also be performed on weekends.

You will receive the test reports immediately after performed analysis of your samples (generally 24 – 72 hrs). Partial findings are transmitted in advance to ensure a promptly communication of test results.

AniCon’s diagnostic lab receives all kinds of samples like swabs, tissues or organs of diseased animals, fecal samples, sock swabs or contact plates.

We process the whole analysis spectrum of microbial pathogens relevant for swine.

Initially, the samples are cultivated. Resulting isolates are subsequently characterized by biochemical, serological and molecular tools and assigned to a species, serotype or genotype.

Sensitivity testing of isolates is routinely performed.

Besides conventional methods for pathogen differentiation we use modern technology like MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

If requested isolated pathogens can be cryopreserved.

We routinely apply a wide range of serological examinations, for especially ELISA. Serological test results provide information about immune status of the tested animal.

Knowledge of the antibody status can serve to proof the success of vaccinations or to assess the reactions to earlier infections. 

Detection of virus via culture is performed from swabs, tissue samples or organs in cell culture. The obtained isolates are further characterized by hemagglutination tests as well as by molecular tools. If requested isolated pathogens can be cryopreserved.

This type of pathogen detection is especially interesting for rotaviruses or influenza viruses. 

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) is a rapid (within hours) method to detect genetic material (DNA/RNA) of inactive or reproductive viruses and bacteria.

We routinely perform PCR testing (mostly real-time PCR) for diverse swine relevant pathogens. We put emphasis in routine diagnostics to provide our customers as soon as possible with results.

A further purpose of our molecular diagnostic is characterisation of viral isolates. These isolates are analysed by various specific PCR methods [i. e. (real-time) (RT-) PCR] and sequencing. Knowledge of detected genes, e. g. surface determinants, toxin genes and other gene sequences, enables us to classify isolates to species, subtypes and potential virulence. These tests allow a targeted selection of a suitable vaccine and let estimate its efficacy.