Sciensano is recognised as the Belgian National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for contagious equine metritis. We are active in 2 main areas:
Diagnosis | isolating the bacterium and identifying it
Sciensano is responsible for bacteriological isolation from fresh semen or swabs collected on activated carbon medium and received at the laboratory within 24 hours of collection, as well as PCR identification.
By using adapted culture conditions, Taylorella equigenitalis can be isolated from the fossa and clitoral sinuses, cervix and endometrium in the mare, and from the urethral fossa, urethral sinus, urethra and foreskin in the stallion. The swabs must be placed immediately in a friendly transportation environment and arrive at the laboratory within 24 hours of collection. The dishes must be incubated in an atmosphere containing 5 to 10% CO2for 12 days for the colonies of Taylorella equigenitalis to become visible and to be identified by PCR.
Expertise | ensuring our role as NRL for diagnosis
Our experts have the necessary experience to carry out differential diagnosis by culture and PCR. Sciensano has also participated in international inter-laboratory tests since 2005.