GD Update 2-2012

GD Animal Health Service

Update 2

2012

PIGMATCH: healthy transparency in the pig market GD Proficiency testing schemes: NEW DEVELOPMENTS MALDI BIOTYPER ensures accurate identification of bacteria

GD Animal Health Service

Custom made animal health solutions GD Proficiency testing schemes R&D Veterinary laboratory GD Diagnostics Consultancy

w w w. g d d eve n t e r. c o m

COLUMN

CONTENT 04 PigMatch®: healthy

trans­parency in the pig market

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05 New online monitoring system to improve pig health

06 GD Proficiency

testing schemes: new developments

07 MALDI Biotyper ensures accurate identification of bacteria

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08 News & communications

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CONTACT INFORMATION

If you want to know more about what GD can do for you, please contact one of our staff members, responsible for international sales:

Ton de Gee, DVM PhD

Eveline Peereboom – de Haan, BSc

Manager international

Account manager

projects

Pharmacy

Annemiek Slothouber, BSc

Madelon Bolderman, MSc

Product sales manager

Account manager

­Diagnostics and PTS

Feed

Anniversary The moment you receive this GD Update, there are only a few weeks left before we celebrate the 10th anniversary of structured animal health surveillance in the Netherlands. Commissioned by the government and agricultural industry, in November 2002 GD Animal Health Service started monitoring the health status of farm animals. Not only with respect to animal health but also food safety and public health.

The surveillance is based on data from different sources (e.g. pathology, vets, lab, etc.). At GD we’re still finding new ways to get the right information as quick as possible. To this end we recently started further improving pig health monitoring results by involving veterinary practitioners in an online monitoring system. You can read more about this on page 5.

GD reports the monitoring results to stakeholders every quarter to facilitate any necessary decisionmaking. If the findings are urgent, the authorities are informed instantly so that immediate action can be taken.

The challenge is to be proactive and to detect existing and emerging diseases as quickly as possible, especially in the case of a zoonosis. Based on experiences from the recent Q-fever outbreak, this enables optimum coordination with public health bodies. In this way GD contributes to the improvement of animal health in the interest of all stakeholders in the food chain as well as society as a whole.

JAN JANSEN PhD MANAGING DIRECTOR The logo GD is using for the 10th anniversary of structured animal health surveillance in the Netherlands.

PHONE In the Netherlands 0900-1770, Outside the Netherlands +31 (0)570-63 33 91 FAX + 31 (0)570-63 41 04 | E-MAIL info@gddeventer.com | WEBSITE www.gddeventer.com | MAIL ADDRESS GD, P.O. Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, the Netherlands | DELIVERY ADDRESS FOR SAMPLES AND POST MORTEM M ­ ATERIAL GD, CLA, Arnsbergstraat 7, 7418 EZ Deventer, the Netherlands.

GD Update | October 2012 |

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PIGMATCH | COPY: THEO GEUDEKE, PHD

PigMatch®:

healthy transparency In the pig market, there are plenty of movements of pigs between farms. Along with all these movements, information is exchanged about feed, breed and vaccination schedules and treatments. But how can pig farmers get independent insight into the quality and health status of the animals they want to sell or buy?

The Dutch and German pig industry have been trying to set up various systems to provide additional information on pig health, comparable to the well-known Danish SPF-Sus system. This has led to a variety of so called ‘piglets passes’ and other systems. These various systems are all designed in a different way which creates a lot of uncertainty. How should one deal with all these different methods? And as a pig farmer, what do you expect to get? Ultimately, to meet the need for an independent, transparent, clear and uniform system, the PigMatch® system was developed by GD Animal Health Service in collaboration with farmers, veterinarians and several laboratories in Germany and the Netherlands.

Pilot & launch Last year, a pilot project was designed to evaluate the system, the sampling schedules and the website. Recently, PigMatch has been introduced simultaneously in the Netherlands and Germany as an organization positioned independently to GD. The system is intended for pig breeders, multiplier farms, finisher farms and other interested parties, such as traders and veterinarians.

Basic idea The basic idea is that the current health status of the animals on a participating pig farm can be searched via a web portal. The system is backed up with uniform sampling plans, laboratory tests, confirmations and related health statuses, but it also provides information on vaccination schedules.

The information is always displayed in a similar way and the PigMatch participants themselves determine to whom they release their data.

Levels of sampling Depending on their own intentions and ambitions, participants can choose between several levels of sampling: every

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Thanks to PigMatch pig buyers can take specific health management measures to integrate animals optimally in their farm.

1, 2 or 4 months respective to PM12, PM6 and PM3. One sampling always includes two groups of 20 animals in different age categories. Pathogens in the PigMatch system are APP, Brachyspira hyodysenteriae/Brachyspira pilosicoli, Atrophic Rhinitis, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, PRRS, Salmonella and mange. For participants in PM3, testing for Atrophic Rhinitis, mange and Salmonella is voluntary.

Optimal results Subsequently, thanks to PigMatch, pig buyers can take specific health management measures to integrate animals optimally in their farm. So sellers and buyers can make sure the pigs they trade match from a health perspective and they can harmonize their quality requirements to reach optimal results.

In summary, the system offers: • Choice of level of participation • A statistically valid sample in two groups of animals per participating farm • Investigation of a fixed group of diseases • Test results for all (Dutch and German) participants in the same transparent way • Farm inspections and sampling according to PigMatch protocols and monitoring by a PigMatch veterinarian • T he entire process, from sampling to status, is secured by PigMatch For more information, visit www.pigmatch.eu

COPY: THEO GEUDEKE, PHD AND TOM DUINHOF, MSC | MONITORING

New online monitoring system to

improve pig health It has been 10 years since GD Animal Health Service started monitoring the health status of farm animals in the Netherlands, including cattle, small ruminants, pigs and poultry.

To this end, GD uses information from various sources, such as registration of phone calls from veterinarians, reports from farm visits by GD consultants, results from laboratory tests and post mortem investigations. Data analysis of external data sets from the dairy industry, meat inspection and rendering plants is also carried out.

GD reports the monitoring results to the Dutch Livestock Production Boards and the Ministry of Agriculture. Important aspects of a good monitoring system are the timely detection of new, yet unidentified diseases, a clear overview of trends in well-known health problems, but also the early detection of outbreaks of (notifiable) infectious diseases that normally should be absent in the country.

New project Recently GD started a project to further improve pig health monitoring results by involving veterinary practitioners in an online monitoring system. In particular, the analysis of trends in health problems will benefit from the day-to-day input of information from practitioners. During or right after a farm visit, the veterinarian can submit basic information to GD using a web application. This application is linked to the management information system of the veterinary practice to facilitate a smooth report-

ing procedure. The information entails the age category of the diseased animals, the organ system involved, the observed symptoms, the most probable diagnosis and, if applicable, the supporting laboratory tests. For example, weaned piglets with respiratory problems like coughing and rapid breathing caused by the PRRS virus is established by PCR testing.

On a regular basis, GD will produce a resume of the results in which the reported disease information of involved veterinary practices is compared. Furthermore, time lines are plotted to establish possible trends in health problems.

Comparing different regions As soon as enough practitioners participate in the online monitoring system, it will also be possible to compare different regions. This can be valuable in case certain health problems start to spread in a specific part of the country.

For example, suppose in a certain part of the country lameness in sows seems to increase. This may be a reason for action. Perhaps a food mill forgot to add a particular vitamin premix to the feed. Or possibly a new virus is spreading slowly across the country. Or maybe farmers in the area are switching increasingly to a pig breed that is more sensitive to leg problems. Hence it is useful to quickly gain insight into trends and subsequently investigate underlying causes.

Standardization To provide practitioners with more feedback on actual disease information, the goal is to broaden the scope of the online monitoring programme of GD by producing more standardized reports, eventually leading to standardized real-time overviews that can be generated the very moment data are entered by a participating practitioner. This way the practitioner gets new information on actual trends preferably completed with diagnoses, and the pig industry gets what it wants – information that contributes to early warning of important disease trends.

For further information, call us on +31 (0)570 63 33 91, or mail us at info@gddeventer.com.

< Recently GD started a project to further improve pig health monitoring

GD Update | October 2012 |

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PTS DEVELOPMENTS | COPY: ANNEMIEK SLOTHOUBER, BSC

GD Proficiency testing schemes:

new developments Each quality laboratory needs to have control procedures for monitoring the validity of its tests. In addition to the regular use of internal controls, a laboratory should participate in inter-laboratory comparison or Proficiency testing schemes (PTS).

PTS Programme 2013 Month Programme January PTS for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) antibody detection in serum PTS for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) RNA detection in porcine serum and tissue suspensions via Nucleic acid Amplification Techniques (NAT), e.g. PCR PTS for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) antibody detection in serum PTS for Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) DNA detection in porcine serum via Nucleic acid Amplification Techniques (NAT) e.g. PCR February PTS for Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) antibody detection in serum PTS for Mycoplasma gallisepticum/synoviae (Mg/Ms) antibody detection in serum PTS for Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) RNA detection via Nucleic acid Amplification Techniques (NAT) e.g. PCR March PTS for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) antibody detection in milk and/or serum PTS for Bovine Mastitis Pathogens detection in milk via Nucleic acid Amplification Techniques (NAT), e.g. PCR PTS for Bovine Virus Diarrhoea (BVD) RNA detection in serum and tissue suspensions via Nucleic acid Amplification Techniques (NAT) e.g.

PCR and/or antigen ELISA June PTS for Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV)/Gumboro antibody detection in serum PTS for Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) antibody detection in serum PTS for Small Ruminant Lentiviruses (SRLVs)/Maedi Visna Virus (MVV)/ Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) antibody detection in serum July PTS for Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV)/Turkey Rhinotracheitis (TRT) antibody detection in serum PTS for Avian REO Virus (ARV/REO) antibody detection in serum PTS for Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) antibody detection in serum August PTS for Avian Influenza Virus (AI) antibody detection in serum PTS for Salmonella (SA) antibody detection in chicken serum PTS for Salmonella (SA) antibody detection in porcine serum October PTS for Brachyspira hyodysenteriae detection in porcine feces via Nucleic acid Amplification Techniques (NAT) e.g. PCR PTS for Swine Influenza Virus (SIV) antibody detection in porcine serum

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This participation is one of the demands of the ISO 17025 guideline for laboratory quality systems. GD Animal Health Service is formally accredited according to the ISO 17043:2010 for the organization of PTS for antibody detection. All other PTS offered are organized according to this guideline as well.

3 new PTS for 2013 We are continuously developing new PTS to broaden our product range for our customers. In the course of 2013, the following proficiency testing schemes will be added to our PTS programme: • January: Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) antibody detection in porcine serum • February: Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) antigen detection in chicken serum by NAT, e.g. PCR • October: Swine Influenza Virus (SIV) antibody detection in porcine serum

Online tool for test results We recently implemented an online tool, which enables our participants to report back their test results online. The advantage will be that the draft report will be left out and the final report will be available a lot sooner.

How does it work?

After signing up for a GD PTS, the participant receives an email with a link to the electronic reporting system, a login and password. After logging in, it’s easy to fill out the PTS results in the online form and send it back to GD via the Internet. A copy of the filled out form is sent to the participant by email. Where previously the PTS coordinators of GD had to enter all the results, participants now fill out their own results. This way GD does not have to check the results by sending a draft report first. Instead we can send the final report. In this way we will be saving a lot of time and participants will receive their final report a lot sooner.

In 2013, GD will fully implement this system and the draft report will be left out of the process.

Customer satisfaction survey In September 2012, GD once again conducted its 2 yearly customer satisfaction survey. We would like to thank all the customers who filled out the survey and helped us gain valuable information to further improve our services.

With the results of this questionnaire we will be able to meet your expectations even better and maintain our high quality level.

More information: Ms Annemiek Slothouber, a.slothouber@gddeventer.com.

COPY: HELEN DE ROODE, MA | MALDI-TOF

MALDI Biotyper

ensures accurate identification of bacteria Recognizing bacteria by rapidly and accurately reading their ‘finger print’. In short, that is now possible in the GD laboratory thanks to the new MALDI Biotyper. The apparatus has been used routinely since early 2012 by GD Animal Health Service for testing mastitis pathogens and is now being used to identify almost every bacterial culture. Recently, a second MALDI Biotyper arrived in the GD laboratory.

“Our use of the MALDI Biotyper puts us way ahead of the global competition as a veterinary diagnostic laboratory”, according to Annet Heuvelink and Refke Peerboom. Heuve­ link and Peerboom were the GD staff responsible for validation and implementation of the MALDI Biotyper and its technique (called MALDI-TOF). Heuvelink gave a presentation on the new method early July at the congress of the European Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (EAVLD) in Poland. “There is a great deal of international interest for our work with the MALDI Biotyper.”

Rapid method What makes the apparatus so special? Heuvelink: “If we look at mastitis, for instance, there are many bacteria that can cause this infection. Effective treatment requires an understanding of which bacterium or bacteria are involved in each specific case. Indicating a bacterium using biochemical identification is a very complex process. Most identification tests take some 24 to 72 hours after cultivating the colonies. The MALDI Biotyper requires just one hour (after cultivating the colonies) for identifying 96 bacterial isolates. This produces a much faster result, so appropriate treatment can be initiated much sooner. What is more, this methodology costs much less than the current process.”

Very versatile & accurate “The MALDI Biotyper is exceptionally versatile”, adds Peerboom: “For each bacterium we carry out the same procedure. Biochemical identification requires defining in advance approximately which bacteria you want to test for, then fine tuning the method accordingly. But with the MALDI Biotyper this is not necessary – you can just

Refke Peerboom (r) and Annet Heuvelink were responsible for the validation and implementation of the MALDI Biotyper

launch it blind, as it were. And because the process is more automated and standardized, there is a lower risk of errors.

Furthermore, we can make a distinction between bacteria that was not possible with the ‘old-fashioned’ biochemical method.”

How it works So how does the MALDI Biotyper work? Peerboom is keen to explain: “The bacterial culture enters the apparatus on a stainless-steel plate and bound in a drip matrix. One stainless-steel plate contains up to 96 isolates. In the MALDI Biotyper, the proteins of the bacterial colony are, as it were, ‘detached’ by laser. The loosened proteins then rise through the unit’s vacuum tube and are separated on the basis of weight (smaller particles reaching the detector at the top of the tube faster than larger particles). The detector converts the pulses it receives into a unique peak pattern. This is the bacterial ‘fingerprint’. The MALDI Biotyper then searches its database for a matching fingerprint. And that is how it identifies the bacteria.”

Greener In addition to the MALDI Biotyper allowing the GD laboratory to work faster, cheaper and more accurately, it also makes the entire process ‘greener’. “We use fewer chemicals and there is simply much less waste. The only things we really use are some kind of cocktail sticks to apply the bacterial colonies to the stainless-steel plate and a pipette nozzle to introduce the matrix – it’s as easy as that.”

For further information, please call us on +31 (0)570 63 33 91 or mail us at info@gddeventer.com GD Update | October 2012 |

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News & communications HAPPY BITE, EASY TESTING

The required saliva is collected with special ropes which the pigs like to chew on.

In June 2012 GD Animal Health Service introduced Happy Bite, the easy way to test for pathogens in pigs by investigating oral fluids. This animal and investigator friendly system uses specially prepared ropes which are presented to groups of piglets or finishers or even sows and individual boars. The curious nature of pigs make them chew on the ropes almost instantly. Within about 20 minutes 80% of the group of pigs has chewed on the rope and enough oral fluid can be collected to test for pathogens by means of PCR tests or for antibodies using ELISA tests. The testing method of Happy Bite is particularly well suited for the monitoring of diseases in pigs since it is very easy, and relatively cheap, to test large numbers of pigs.

So far Happy Bite has been validated for PCR tests on PRRS and PCV2 and for ELISA’s on the same two pathogens. In the near future, validated tests on other respiratory pathogens will also be available with Happy Bite.

ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL PIG HEALTH AND PRODUCTION COURSE It became a tradition. About 15 years ago, GD Animal Health Service started organizing an annual international course on pig health and production for Intervet International in Boxmeer, the Netherlands. Intervet recently became Merck and the Pig Health Course evolved, but this autumn a new edition of the course is planned from 5 November to 16 November. About 15 veterinarians from all over the world will follow lectures on various health and production subjects, such as respiratory and digestive diseases, reproduction, biosecu-

MORE INFORMATION? On our website www.gddeventer.com you will find information about our products, services and various GD projects as well as the latest information about submitting samples to GD. Furthermore, we have an e-letter to keep you informed about new tests, recent publications by GD employees, proficiency testing schemes and much more. You can register for our e-letter on the website.

GD, PO Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, the Netherlands, T. +31 570 63 33 91, F. +31 570 63 41 04 www.gddeventer.com info@gddeventer.com

rity, emerging diseases, use of antibiotics and diagnostic tests. But they will also discuss clinical cases and exchange experiences and expertise on pig production and health in their respective countries.

However, course highlights include pathology demonstrations in de GD laboratory, farm visits with local Dutch practitioners, an excursion to an experimental farm and post mortem examination in a slaughter plant. And finally, the social aspects of an international gathering like this will naturally not be overlooked!

THREE SYMPOSIA ON ANIMAL HEALTH From 19 November to 22 November 2012, GD and the Animal Health Centre (Pushchino, Moscow region) are organizing three oneday symposia in Moscow on important animal health topics. For each animal category (poultry, pigs and dairy cattle), lectures will be given by GD experts and an invited speaker. Also there will be ample opportunity to discuss specific problems with the experts in round table sessions. Lectures will be in English and Russian with translation. Registration is limited to 25 persons for each symposium and the registration fee is € 50 (or 2000 RUB). This includes one night’s stay in the hotel and all meals. For more information contact Ton de Gee (GD, t.d.gee@gddeventer.com) or Maxim Voznyak (AHC Pushchino, maxim@test-p.ru).

RESULTS BULK MILK EXAMINATION SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS At 92 percent of the tested Dutch dairy farms, almost all cows had to deal with the schmallenberg virus. This is apparent from the results of bulk milk examination carried out by GD. This confirms that the virus spread massively and rapidly in 2011 throughout the Netherlands. The majority of cows were infected.

After the outbreak of the schmallenberg virus, GD developed and validated two tests to detect antibodies to the virus: examination in bulk milk and in individual blood. Farmers were offered the opportunity to send in their bulk milk for examination for only € 19,50.

In 92 percent of the tested dairy farms in the first round, at least 50 percent of the dairy cows were infected with schmallenberg virus.

In most cases, this was as high as 80 to 100 percent. In 6 percent of the tested farms, the infection rate was 20–50 percent. Only 2 percent of the tested farms indicated infection in less than 20 percent of the dairy cows.

The significant diffusion of the virus is advantageous. Dairy cows that became infected are – most likely – no longer susceptible to the schmallenberg virus and thus will not give birth to malformed calves if exposed to the virus during pregnancy.

Farmers were offered the opportunity to send in their bulk milk for examination