Sampling guidelines for Lysssavirus exclusion
Lyssavirus exclusion includes Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV) and Rabies virus
Samples submitted will depend on the size of the animal and circumstances of sample collection. Fresh tissue should be prioritised over fixed.
Preferred Samples
- Whole brain / head, or
- Half brain, sectioned longitudinally and including brainstem and cerebellum (in situ in skull for microbats), or
- 1cm3 samples representing brainstem, cerebellum, cerebrum and hippocampus.
- In addition, salivary gland should be included, if available.
Important Notes
- No exclusion samples should be submitted directly to ACDP without prior clearance from state animal health authorities. In most cases, samples are submitted to the state animal health lab, and then forwarded to ACDP.
- Please note that submissions that do not include the correct anatomical sites, or that are insufficient in volume, may limit the range of tests that can be performed and the certainty with which infection can be excluded.
- Species identification cannot be guaranteed as ACDP staff may not have the required taxonomic expertise. All reasonable efforts to identify and/or photograph bats should be made prior to submission. It would be appreciated if this information could be provided to ACDP as part of the submission.