AHL LabNote 30-Undifferentiated diarrhea in pigs, including PEDV and PDCoV testing at the AHL

     Tissue

     Fresh

     Formalin-fixed

     stomach

     duodenum

     jejunum

       (X 2)

     (X 3)

     ileum

     (X 3)

     cecum

     spiral colon

      (X 2)

     mesenteric LN

     other - liver, kidney, spleen, lung

     feces (leak-proof vial or swab),

     TESTS

     Histopathology

     Routine histopathology

     IHC for TGEV, PCV-2

     Bacteriology 

     Colon or feces (NO swabs) for Brachyspira spp., B. hyodysenteriae, B. pilosicoli, B. hampsonii clade I and B. hampsonii clade II PCR.

     Ileum or feces (NO swabs) for Lawsonia intracellularis PCR.

     Intestinal tissue/content, feces, or fecal/intestinal swabs for aerobic (E. coli and Salmonella spp.) and anaerobic (C. perfringens) culture.

    Feces or intestinal content (NO swabs) for C. difficile toxins ELISA. 

     Virology

     Live - fecal swab in VTM (preferred) or feces - Porcine coronavirus PCR (PEDV, TGEV, PDCoV), porcine rotavirus A/B/C PCR. 

     Dead - PCV-2 PCR, rotavirus A/B/C PCR, porcine coronavirus PCR (PEDV, TGEV, PDCoV) on frozen small intestine or feces.

     Serology 

     PEDV ELISA and IFA are available at external laboratories and the AHL can send sera on request.

     Sera from dam, surviving litter/herdmates for differential TGEV/PRCV ELISA (does not detect PEDV antibodies).

Parasitology

     Fecal exam optional (histology can be diagnostic).