Outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Europe
The IVI is the national reference laboratory for FMD in Switzerland.
Information for veterinarians on submitting samples for exclusion testing
It is important to differentiate between suspicion and exclusion.Exclusion testing is an important instrument for the early detection of a number of highly infectious animal diseases, such as FMD. It is used if there are no specific grounds to suspect an infection, but no other cause of disease has been found, and FMD cannot be completely ruled out.
Procedure for FMD exclusion testing
Notify the IVI by emailing dia-mitt@ivi.admin.ch. If you have any questions, please call +41 (0)58 469 92 11
Sample material
Live animal
- Submit vesicular material (epithelial tissue, mucosal changes, poss. vesicular fluid), saliva and serum (not anticoagulated blood)
Dead animal
- Submit vesicular material (epithelial tissue, poss. vesicular fluid) and saliva (swab sample also possible)
- Mucosal changes/lesions of: tongue, mouth, hooves, udder, ruminal pillar
- Heart muscle
- Tonsils/lymph nodes (lesion-relevant)
- Serum if possible.
Testing request
On the Testing request (available in German and French only), check ‹Seuchenausschluss› (disease exclusion) and testing for ‹Maul- und Klauenseuche (MKS)› (foot-and-mouth disease (FMD))’, ‹AK› (antibodies) and ‹V› (virus).
Transport
Pack samples correctly and send (under documents: «Correct packaging» and "Safe transport of biological material")
- IVI Diagnostics – essential for epizootic control
- IVI Epizootic disease diagnostics – Ruminants
- Further information (in German, French and Italian only) can be found on the FSVO website Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)