Disease screening
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Blood parasites |
EcoGene is now able to test for:
- Avian malaria
- We are offering a screening service for avian malaria using PCR from bird blood samples. Our previous research has shown that avian malaria is prevalent in New Zealand (Tompkins & Gleeson 2005). We are continuing to research the ecology of this disease with an aim to understand more about pathogenicity and impacts on native species.
- Whataroa virus
- We can screen bird blood samples for this virus using reverse transcriptase PCR. Whataroa virus is an arthropod-borne group A arbovirus isolated in South Westland, New Zealand, in 1962. It has been serologically compared with other group A agents and appears most closely related to Sindbis virus.
- Murine typhus
- We provide screening of rat blood samples for the presence of this flea-borne rickettsial disease using an end point PCR technique. This rodent disease can spill over to humans causing a non specific illness. In New Zealand it was first diagnosed in 1989, and cases reported in 1992 and 2006..
- Chytrid fungus
- We are able to provide the standardised service for chytrid fungus detection from both swab and tissue samples derived from frogs.
References
Tompkins, D.M. and Gleeson, D.M. 2006. Relationship between avian malaria distribution and an exotic invasive mosquito in New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 36(2): 51-62.