Newcastle disease sampling method

Any disease event meeting the case definition of Newcastle disease (see following page for case
definition) must be sampled and reported as follows:

 Collect choanal (mouth) swabs from 10 birds. Roll the swab in the roof of the mouth and
back of the throat.
 Put mouth swabs from five birds into each vial of viral transport medium (VTM).
 Collect cloacal swabs from the same 10 birds. Insert the swab into the cloaca and roll it
against the wall in several places.
 Put cloacal swabs from five birds into each vial of VTM. Do not put mouth and cloacal
swabs in the same vial.
 You should now have four vials of VTM with five swabs in each.
 Collect two millilitres (2mL) clotted blood samples from each of 15 birds into tubes supplied
by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA).
 Collect five dead birds or a range of tissues in formalin.
 Label samples with farm name and date.
 Complete a Newcastle disease surveillance laboratory submission form, available on the
DAFWA website.

 Cool all samples and dead birds to 4 degrees Celsius and deliver to DAFWA’s Animal
Health Laboratories as soon as possible with the completed submission form.

If exotic Newcastle disease or avian influenza are suspected, report

immediately to DAFWA, who will attend and investigate. Reports can be made 24
hours per day, 365 days per year.

 Office hours: contact AHL on +61 (0)8 9368 3351 or your local DAFWA Field
Veterinary Officer.
 After hours: contact the emergency animal disease toll-free hotline on
1800 675 888.
 Newcastle disease case definition

Layers and breeders

The case definition of Newcastle disease for layers and breeders is:

 any shed suffering a 10% drop in egg production or the appearance of 5% unexpected shell
colour or 5% shell-less eggs over 2–3 days or
 mortality of 0.5% per day or more for three or more days in any shed or
 any nervous or respiratory disease signs.

Broilers
The case definition of Newcastle disease for broilers is any shed showing:

 mortality (not including culling) of 0.5% per day or more for three or more days after the first
week of placement
 respiratory signs lasting more than two days
 nervous signs regardless of the duration.

Current as of July 2015. Check agric.wa.gov.au for updates

Important disclaimer
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Agriculture and Food and the State of Western Australia
accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this
information or any part of it.
Copyright © Western Australian Agricultural Authority, 2015