• Sample Details 0.25ml liquid serum from hyper-immunised animals (heat treated)
  • Method CFT, IFAT

Overview

The purpose of this scheme is for participants to demonstrate that they are able to detect antibodies to Trypanosoma equiperdum in serum samples, using CFT and IFAT methods. The panel issued may include dilutions of a positive sample, duplicate and negative samples.

Result input

Results are returned through our electronic reporting system.

CFT:Titre, Interpretation (positive / negative / inconclusive)

IFAT: Titre, Interpretation (positive / negative / inconclusive)

Results deadline (from date of shipping)

28 days

PT Report

Authorised report will be published electronically. These will show intended result and results from all participants

Accreditation Status

ISO/IEC 17043 Conformity assessment – General requirements for proficiency testing.

Health and Safety

This material is for in vitro use only, not for use in animals.

Import Permit

It is the responsibility of the participants to check with their customs authority if an import permit is required to import VETQAS® PT samples. If a permit is required, we must receive a valid copy of the permit before the scheduled distribution date. Please note, if we do not receive the permit by the scheduled distribution date the samples will not be shipped and there will be no refund.

Provision of external services

Aspects of the Proficiency Testing schemes may at times be performed by a competent external service provider, for which VETQAS® is responsible.

Additional Information

Samples from various sources are used in Proficiency Testing schemes. Some samples are from experimentally infected animals, some from confirmed field infections and some from vaccinated animals.

VETQAS® use samples that are negative, strongly positive, mid-range and low positive, without going too close to the cut-off point for routinely used tests. This is to replicate the situation with real samples submitted to diagnostic laboratories. For real samples, infection or vaccination may have been recent, resulting in a rising antibody (or antigen) concentration, or late where they are high or falling. The samples used help our customers assure the quality of their testing over the full range of clinical samples.

It is recognised that in some testing situations, (e.g. monitoring of poultry flocks post vaccination) low antibody concentrations are very rarely seen and here the sensitivity of the test methodology is not of primary importance. It is also recognised that some testing methodologies are inherently less sensitive than others. Where tests of lower sensitivity are used, there are occasions when participants report a negative result for a sample with an intended low positive result. When this happens, customers are advised to evaluate if this result has significance for the test method they are using, and the reason for testing. In some cases, the false negative finding will have no impact on the quality of the routine results issued by the laboratory, and at other times the customer should undertake a full investigation as to why a low positive sample was categorised as negative.

The samples provided in the Proficiency Testing schemes should not be considered as reference samples. The analytical performance of a serological test will, in some cases, depend upon the individual serum tested. Therefore it is not possible to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity or specificity of a laboratory method or commercial kit based on the limited range of samples in proficiency testing panels.

For any particular analysis, VETQAS® customers use diagnostic assays from a range of sources. These may be in-house developed methods or commercial kits. In some cases, customers use a range of methodologies for testing (e.g. ELISA, CFT, AGIDT etc). It is not possible for VETQAS® to check all samples using all assays and methodologies available. VETQAS® reports inform customers of the methods and commercial kits used to confirm the status and conformity of the samples. This should be taken into account when customers are investigating a non-intended result.