Labs: Poultry Tumor Diseases | NC State Veterinary Medicine

Diagnostic Testing and Research Lab
Department of Population Health and Pathobiology

Poultry Tumor Diseases

Lab Contact: 919.513.6333

Overview
Research Team

The Poultry Tumor Diseases Laboratory (PTDL) provides tumor disease and diagnostic expertise to a variety of internal and external funded avian disease research projects, especially involving Marek’s disease. Some fee for service diagnostic work is also performed with prior approval.

NC State CVM chick in Teaching Animal Unit

Submitting Samples

Please follow the guidelines below when submitting samples.

 Tests
Description
Required Sample

Marek’s disease diagnosis

Real time PCR

Tumor frozen (shipped in dry ice) or Tumor imprints collected in FTA cards (shipped at room temperature)

Monitoring Marek’s disease vaccines serotype 2

Real time PCR

Feathers frozen (shipped in dry ice) or Feather pulp collected in FTA cards (shipped at room temperature)

Monitoring Marek’s disease vaccines serotype 3

Real time PCR

Feathers frozen (shipped in dry ice) or Feather pulp collected in FTA cards (shipped at room temperature)

Monitoring Marek’s disease vaccines serotype 1

Real time PCR

Feathers frozen (shipped in dry ice) or Feather pulp collected in FTA cards (shipped at room temperature)

Marek’s disease diagnosis and monitoring one vaccine type

Real time PCR

Tumors and feathers frozen (shipped in dry ice) or tumor imprint and feather pulp collected in FTA cards (shipped at room temperature)

Marek’s disease diagnosis and monitoring of two vaccines types

Real time PCR

Tumors and feathers frozen (shipped in dry ice) or tumor imprint and feather pulp collected in FTA cards (shipped at room temperature)

Marek’s disease diagnosis and monitoring of three vaccines types

Real time PCR

Tumors and feathers frozen (shipped in dry ice) or tumor imprint and feather pulp collected in FTA cards (shipped at room temperature)

Marek’s disease Gene expression

Real time PCR

Contact laboratory for further specifications

Avian tumor histopathology

H&E reading

Tissues collected in formalin 10%

Marek’s disease virus isolation

Plaque assay

Live animals or Frozen buffy coats (contact laboratory for instructions)

Marek’s disease vaccine titration (monovalent)

Plaque assay

Three vaccine vials in liquid shipped in nitrogen or dry ice

Marek’s disease vaccine titration (bivalent)

Plaque assay

Three vaccine vials in liquid shipped in nitrogen or dry ice

Marek’s disease vaccine titration(trivalent)

Plaque assay

Three vaccine vials in liquid shipped in nitrogen or dry ice

Differential diagnosis avian tumors

Real time PCR: Marek’s disease
Virus isolation: REV, ALV PCR: REV, ALV

Tumors frozen (shipped in dry ice) and frozen plasma

Immunohistochemistry (MD, cell phenotype)

Immunohistochemistry

Tissues frozen in OCT and shipped in dry ice (contact laboratory for instructions)

Pathotyping

Gold standard pathotyping assay

Live animals
or
Frozen buffy coats (contact laboratory for instructions)
or
Marek’s disease virus in cell culture
or
Marek’s disease virus frozen in liquid nitrogen and shipped in dry ice

Neuropathotyping

Neuro signs

Live animals
or
Frozen buffy coats (contact laboratory for instructions)
or
Marek’s disease virus in cell culture
or
Marek’s disease virus frozen in liquid nitrogen and shipped in dry ice

Peripheral neuropathy diagnosis

Real time PCR Histopathology

Frozen nerves shipped in dry ice and nerves fixed in formalin 10%