Sample collection for respiratory disease

Sample collection is extremely important for a correct diagnostic analysis. During sample location, it is important to focus on the place of the pathology. When looking to respiratory infections, we typically can distinguish upper and lower/deep respiratory infections. We describe different methodologies on how samples can be collected for analysis with PathoSense. 

Deep respiratory tract infections: processing of TBS samples

Indications for deep respiratory tract infections are dyspnea, coughing, bronchitis, pneumonia. The collection of a tracheo-bronchial swab or TBS is a common method in pigs.

  • The use of a disinfected iron mouth spreader is recommended
  • Try to not touch the mouth surface or tonsils with the catheter used for TBS collection
  • Check if mucus has been collected by visual inspection of catheter tubes
  • Process the samples as shown in the movie

Deep respiratory tract infections: processing of BALf samples

Indications for deep respiratory tract infections are dyspnea, coughing, bronchitis, pneumonia. The collection of BALf is a common procedure in cattle, horses and pets.

  • Try to not touch the mouth surface or tonsils with the catheter used for BAL collection
  • Inject sterile physiological fluid into lung, aspirate the BAL fluid with a syringe & collect in the provided 50 ml tube
  • Process the sample as shown in the movie

Upper respiratory tract infections in cats and dogs

Indications for upper respiratory tract infections are sneezing, nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, rhinitis...

Upper airway infections in horses/cattle

  • Use the PathoSense for large animals (long version) to collect a nasal swab in the nasal cavity of the horse/cow
  • Purify the sample through the swab and send to the lab

Samples from freshly euthanised or acute death animals

  • PathoSense swab can be used to collect mucus from the bronchi
    • Open the trachea and follow the bronchial tree up to small bronchi
    • Use the PathoSense swab for collection of mucus
    • Purify the sample according to the instructions
  • PathoSense swab can be used to collect swab directly from localised pathological lesions
    • Make incision in the lesion with a bistouri knife
    • Collect sample by deeply swabbing the lesions for at least 15 sec
    • Purify the sample according to the instructions