International sample submission
- Before dispatch, the shipment details must be agreed with The Pirbright Institute. Please email incoming.samples@pirbright.ac.uk.
- A sample submission form must be completed and included in the shipment.
- Samples dispatched from overseas should be classifed as dangerous goods and must be packaged appropriately. Our advice on packing dangerous goods >
UK sample submission
Suspicion of notifiable disease:
- Veterinary surgeons should follow the procedures advised by Defra when reporting the suspicion of a notifiable disease.
Private submissions
- All samples must be accompanied by a completed sample submission form.
- Samples submitted from within the UK must comply with the following packaging instructions. This includes the use of packaging of the appropriate quality and properly addressing and labelling the package.
Fast-Track testing service
Due to a surge in testing the Fast-Track service is currently unavailable until further notice
For samples being tested by ELISA for African horse sickness or bluetongue a Fast-Track Service is available.
For details see the African horse sickness and bluetongue sections of the price list.
Please complete submission forms legibly and in-full.
Changes to final reports caused by illegible, incorrect or missing information will be subject to an administration charge of £30.
Samples submitted from within the UK must comply with the following packaging instructions. This includes the use of packaging of the appropriate quality and properly addressing and labelling the package.
- All prices below are quoted in Pounds Sterling (GBP).
- All prices quoted are excluding VAT and are subject to VAT.
- Prices are valid for samples received by the laboratory from 1st May 2023
- To send samples to the Non-Vesicular Disease Reference Laboratories for testing please address the consignment to:
Attention: Non-Vesicular Disease Reference Laboratories
The Pirbright Institute
Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey, GU24 0NF
UK
African horse sickness
| Test | Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 |
Test detects | Sample | Price per test | Test turnaround time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-Time RT-PCR | Yes | Nucleic Acid | EDTA blood, Tissues | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
| Serotype Identification by Real-Time RT-PCR | - | - | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| Nucleotide Sequencing | - | - | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| Virus Isolation on Cell Culture | Yes | Live Virus | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| ELISA | Yes | Antibodies | Serum | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
Fast-Track ELISA
Currently Unavailable |
Yes | Antibodies | Serum | £145 (up to 5 tests) £97.50 (6 to 20 tests) £48 (21 or more tests) |
2 working days |
| Serum Neutralisation Test (SNT) | - | Serotype-Specific Antibodies | Serum | Price on application | - |
Fast-Track Samples
Due to a surge in testing the Fast-Track service is currently unavailable until further notice
For African horse sickness a Fast-Track Service is available.
Samples will be tested and results reported within 2 working days of the samples arriving at the laboratory.
All samples included on submission paperwork indicated for fast track testing will be expedited and subject to the extra testing fee.
To arrange for Fast-Track testing of samples:
- Contact the laboratory (incoming.samples@pirbright.ac.uk) before sending the samples to confirm that Fast-Track testing is possible (Fast-Track testing may be temporarily unavailable due to other laboratory commitments).
- Specify that Fast-Track testing is required on the sample submission form.
African swine fever
| Test | Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 |
Test detects | Sample | Price per test | Test turnaround time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-Time PCR | Yes | Nucleic Acid | EDTA blood, Tissues | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
| Antigen ELISA | Yes | Virus | EDTA blood, Tissues | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
| Haemadsorption Test | - | Live Virus | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| Virus Isolation on Cell Culture | - | Live Virus | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| ELISA | Yes | Antibodies | Serum | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
Bluetongue
| Test | Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 |
Test detects | Sample | Price per test | Test turnaround time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-Time RT-PCR | Yes | Nucleic Acid | EDTA blood, Tissues | £48 (up to 5 tests) £40 (6 to 20 tests) £37 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
| Serotype Identification by Real-Time RT-PCR | - | - | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| Nucleotide Sequencing | - | - | Price on application | - | |
| Virus Isolation on Cell Culture | Yes | Live Virus | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| ELISA | Yes | Antibodies | Serum | £26.50 (up to 10 tests) £20 (11 to 50 tests) £13.50 (51 or more tests) |
5 working days |
Fast-Track ELISA
Currently Unavailable |
Yes | Antibodies | Serum | £145 (up to 5 tests) £97.50 (6 to 20 tests) £48 (21 or more tests) |
2 working days |
| Serum Neutralisation Test (SNT) | - | - | Serum | Price on application | - |
Fast-Track Samples
Due to a surge in testing the Fast-Track service is currently unavailable until further notice
For bluetongue disease a Fast-Track Service is available.
Samples will be tested and results reported within 2 working days of the samples arriving at the laboratory.
All samples included on submission paperwork indicated for fast track testing will be expedited and subject to the extra testing fee.
To arrange for Fast-Track testing of samples:
Contact the laboratory (incoming.samples@pirbright.ac.uk) before sending the samples to confirm that Fast-Track testing is possible (Fast-Track testing may be temporarily unavailable due to other laboratory commitments).
Specify that Fast-Track testing is required on the sample submission form.
Capripox (goat pox, sheep pox and lumpy skin disease)
Capripox viruses consist of Goat pox virus, Sheep pox virus and Lumpy skin disease virus.
| Test | Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 |
Test detects | Sample | Price per test | Test turnaround time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-Time PCR | Yes | Nucleic Acid | EDTA blood, Tissues, Skin biopsy | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
| Differential Detection by Real-Time PCR | - | - | Tissues, Skin biopsy | Price on application | - |
| Nucleotide Sequencing | - | - | Tissues, Skin biopsy | Price on application | - |
| Virus Isolation on Cell Culture | - | Live Virus | Tissues, Skin biopsy | Price on application | - |
| ELISA | Yes | Antibodies | Serum | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
Epizootic haemorrhagic disease
| Test | Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 |
Test detects | Sample | Price per test | Test turnaround time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-Time RT-PCR | Yes | Nucleic Acid | EDTA blood, Tissues | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
| Serotype Identification by Real-Time RT-PCR | - | - | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| Nucleotide Sequencing | - | - | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| Virus Isolation on Cell Culture | Yes | Live Virus | EDTA blood, Tissues | Price on application | - |
| ELISA | Yes | Antibodies | Serum | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
| Serum Neutralisation Test (SNT) | - | Serotype-Specific Antibodies | Serum | Price on application | - |
Peste des petits ruminants
| Test | Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 |
Test detects | Sample | Price per test | Test turnaround time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-Time RT-PCR | Yes | Nucleic Acid | EDTA blood, Tissues, Swabs | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
| ELISA | Yes | Antibodies | Serum | £97 (up to 5 tests) £65 (6 to 20 tests) £32 (21 or more tests) |
5 working days |
| Nucleotide Sequencing | - | - | EDTA blood, Tissues, Swabs | Price on application | - |
| Virus Isolation on Cell Culture | - | Live Virus | EDTA blood, Tissues, Swabs | Price on application | - |
Quality Assurance
The front line diagnostic assays are *accredited to ISO/IEC 17025. The Pirbright Institute is *a UKAS accredited testing laboratory No. 4025.
Where indicated, testing is carried out to the internationally recognised ISO/IEC 17025.
Reporting of results
- Results will be reported in the stated time. In the event of a delay, the submitter will be informed by e-mail or phone.
- For International testing: Where samples are submitted on behalf of the national competent authority test results for notifiable diseases will be reported to the submitter and the WOAH / FAO.
- For UK testing: In the event of a positive result for a notifiable disease from a sample the national competent authority will be informed. Subsequent investigation of suspected disease cases will be undertaken by the competent authority and all further communication should be undertaken through them.
Returns
- Due to strict biosecurity regulations samples received into The Pirbright lnstitute high containment facility cannot be returned to sender or forwarded on to other laboratories.