avian & livestock assay data sheet

Porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV)

Test code: S0167 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus by reverse transcription coupled real time polymerase chain reaction

Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) is an enteric disease of pigs. TGE virus (TGEV) is an RNA virus belonging to the genus Coronavirus of the family Coronaviridae. The virus is very stable when stored frozen, but labile at room temperature or above. It is also vulnerable to sunlight and oxidizing disinfectants such as bleach or iodine solution.

The major route of transmission of TGEV is fecal-oral. Once pigs are infected, the incubation period varies from 18 hours to 3 days. The virus multiplies in the intestines and damages enterocytes lining the small intestine, producing villous atrophy and enteritis. Major symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting. The mortality rate is high in neonates. Extra-intestinal sites of virus multiplication include the respiratory tract and mammary tissues, but the virus is most readily isolated from the intestinal tract and from feces.

It has been suggested that wild and domestic carnivores, such as foxes, dogs, and possibly mink and cats, serve as carriers of the virus and contribute to seasonal epidemics. However only virus excreted by serially TGEV-infected dogs has been confirmed as infectious for pigs.

Diagnosis by viral culture is time consuming and is not a very sensitive means of detection of this virus. Diagnosis by serological detection has the risk of cross reactivity with other similar viruses, such as porcine respiratory coronavirus. Molecular detection by PCR can provide rapid, sensitive and specific detection of the virus (Paton et al., 1997).

Utilities:

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Identify porcine TGEV carriers
• Help ensure that animal groups and populations are free of porcine TGEV
• Early prevention of spread of the virus among animals
• Minimize human exposure to the virus
• Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from animals

References:
Paton, D., Ibata, G., Sands, J. and McGoldrick,  A. (1997) Detection of transmissible gastroenteritis virus by RT-PCR and differentiation from porcine respiratory coronavirus. J. Virol. Methods. 66:303-309.

Specimen requirements: 0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or 0.2 ml feces, or 0.2 ml fresh, frozen or fixed tissue, or nasal swab, or fecal swab.

Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative reverse transcription coupled real time PCR

Normal range: Nondetected