The Pirbright Reference Laboratories provide the following services to Defra:
- Tests to detect the pathogens or antibodies against them. This service is provided on a 24/7 basis
- Modification and validation of tests to deal with new, variant forms of the pathogens
- Laboratory characterisation of pathogens in order to determine their origin, make predictions about their likely mode of transmission and the success of different control strategies, such as vaccination
- Supply of specialist reagents and materials to other laboratories in case multiple diagnostic centres are needed to deal with a major epidemic
- Animal experiments with the pathogens in order to evaluate biological properties such as host specificity, routes of transmission and efficacy of vaccines
- Advice
NOTE: BTV pre movement tests are subject to a 5 working day turnaround, AHSV serology (ELISA testing) is carried out
every Friday.
Products
Submission Forms
Please ensure all samples are adequately packaged to prevent breakage, address the package:
FAO Pirbright Reference Laboratories,
The Pirbright Institute,
Ash Road,
Pirbright,
Woking,
GU24 0NF.
Please ensure sender information is given on the back of the package. Failure to do so may result in delayed results.
The services provided to international organisations (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, the European
Union, and the World Organisation for Animal Health, OIE) include:
- Receiving samples from overseas for diagnosis and characterisation (strain-typing, vaccine-matching)
- Organisation of inter-laboratory comparative testing exercises
- Development and supply of reference materials and kits
- Animal experiments with the pathogens in order to evaluate biological properties such as host specificity, routes of transmission, and efficacy of vaccines
- Training scientists from other countries
- Advice
Funding of the institutes Reference Laboratories comes from Defra, FAO and the EU, though not from the OIE.