What kind of test is used to diagnose avian influenza in birds?
Samples are usually taken by swabbing the mucus that coats the throat of live birds, which does not harm the birds. With wild birds, a fecal sample can be taken instead. These samples go into sealed tubes and are taken to USDA-approved laboratories where a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is run. A PCR test is a rapid method of identifying the virus, typically producing results within 3 hours. If a sample from an area where avian influenza has not been previously detected tests positive on a rapid test, an additional confirmatory test is performed. This test involves growing the sample in embryonated chicken eggs, which then provides the material to allow detailed identification of the strain of virus and whether it is HP Avian Influenza (high pathogenicity) or LP Avian Influenza (low pathogenicity). This test can take 3-5 days to produce results.
