By Geoff Geddes, for Swine Innovation Porc
Test taking can be stressful at the best of times: Am I ready? Did I study enough? Will
the brainy kid sit next to me? When you’re testing for the presence of Porcine Endemic
Diarrhea Virus (PEDv), a deadly disease that can devastate a farm, the stakes and the
strain are that much greater. As with any threat, the sooner you’re aware of its presence,
the better your chance of defeating it.That’s certainly the case for PEDv, which
prompted researchers to find an easier, faster and cheaper method of PEDv detection on
farm.
“We’ve been developing diagnostic tests for humans over the last several years and recently
expanded to food production and companion animals,” said David Alton, COO of Edmonton
-based Aquila Diagnostic Systems Inc.
“We have a very sophisticated molecular diagnostic platform called the Accutas™ that detects
the presence of pathogenic DNA or RNA in a blood or fecal sample. Because the tests
can be performed on the farm rather than in central labs, they are less expensive and results
are available almost immediately.”
In the wake of the PEDv outbreak in Canada, Alton’s company was approached by the Manitoba
and Saskatchewan pork industries, who were concerned about the disease and wanting
to get it under control.
Tool shopping
“They wondered if we had a tool that could be used to manage the situation and measure
what is happening out there. This would allow them to do disease surveillance and check the
environment before moving animals off the farm or between barns.”
The Accutas™ is a toaster-sized instrument that runs strips of small tubes about the size of
a baby fingernail and contains the “secret sauce”, which is all the material, chemicals
and primers needed to run the test. Once a small sample is injected into the tube, the operator
presses “go” and lets molecular genetics work its magic. Depending on the type of
test, results are normally given in one or two hours.
This device has already been used successfully to detect a number of other porcine pathogens
including PRRS and porcine circovirus. Work is now underway to adapt it for PEDv
testing for use on site at barns or veterinary offices.
Faster, better, cheaper
“At this point we have demonstrated the PEDv test in the lab. The next phase is to bring the
test into the field. Our hope is to have a tool which producers, government and vets can
use to get results in one or two hours rather than one or two days. That will allow them to
quickly assess the situation and craft a plan of attack.”
After an initial investment of about $5,000 for the device itself, a test will run from $5 - $20
depending on the number of tests performed.For comparison, Manitoba spent millions of dollars last
spring on traditional lab tests, with each sample submission costing $25 - $50.
Thanks to the current trend towards nanotechnology and miniaturization, Alton expects the
time and cost involved with the test to decrease,even as the benefits continue to grow.
“In an outbreak, this tool could be testing animals coming and going to determine where
each facility is at in terms of the presence of PEDv, thereby lessening the chance of transmitting
disease to other farms. You might also choose to do regular surveillance testing of
your barn or area for several viruses of concern just to stay on top of things.”
Given the impact of PEDv on the welfare of animals and businesses, Alton is excited by
the prospect of bringing testing from the lab to the farm while making it affordable and easy to
use. Once this test is fully validated, its use might be broadened to other applications and
industries.
With any luck, this new, more modern approach to diagnosis could help industry pass
the next disease test with flying colors.
Source : Swine Innovation Porc