Bio-Rad receives USDA permit for BSE test; company's automated TeSeE test available for us national surveillance programME
Bio-Rad Laboratories reports that its rapid TeSeE test used for the detection of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease) has been licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for use in the National Veterinary Service Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa and all the NVSL network laboratories as part of the USDA's newly enhanced BSE testing program.
It is estimated that this new programme will test approximately 400,000 animals over the 12-18 months from March 2004.
"We are pleased that our test has met the stringent requirements of the USDA qualification process," said Brad Crutchfield, Bio-Rad's vice president of life science.
"Bio-Rad has extensive experience working with more than 500 labs in 25 countries around the world that screen for BSE.
"We are well prepared to provide the USDA with the same high level of support that our other customers receive." Bio-Rad is a leading provider of tests used for detecting TSEs (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies).
To date, the company has provided more than 22 million BSE tests to laboratories throughout Europe and Japan.
Independent field studies have shown the Bio-Rad BSE test to have the highest level of sensitivity and specificity of any rapid screening test available.
The test detects the presence of the resistant form of prion protein, or PrPres, linked to BSE and can identify these prions at extremely low levels.
This capability to detect very low levels of prions helps assure that BSE infected animals do not go undetected.
The Bio-Rad test is also the easiest testing method to adapt to mass screening programs and can produce results in just four hours.
"The test's speed, ease-of-use, high degree of sensitivity and accuracy have placed it in the highest scientific regard and will aid in the USDA's efforts to conduct a reliable and highly effective surveillance program," added Crutchfield.
Bio-Rad also supplies tests for other TSEs, including its Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) test which is the only test approved by the USDA for use on all three species affected with CWD (white tailed deer, mule deer and elk).
"In Colorado we have tested nearly 47,000 deer and elk in the last 18 months using Bio-Rad's CWD test," said Barbara Powers, director of Colorado State University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, who worked closely with the Colorado Division of Wildlife on the 2002 field validation studies of Bio-Rad's CWD test.
"The test has proven to be extremely accurate, fast, very easy to perform and it is also efficient and cost effective", added Powers.
"In cooperation with the University of Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has utilized the Bio-Rad Elisa test for the past two years, testing over 8000 mule and white tailed deer," added Bruce Morrison, Nebraska's CWD coordinator.
"The results from the test are fast and accurate, which is efficient for both the agency and the hunters that are waiting for results".
"The product support from the company is excellent and we have saved thousands of dollars in our budget using this test."
