Animal Safety
EPM Testing Services
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is an infection of the central nervous system of horses. Its most common neurologic signs are: asymmetric incoordination, weakness and spasticity, although they may mimic almost any neurologic condition.
How do you find out if a horse is infected?
Neogen's EPM Testing Service detects S. neurona antibodies through the use of the Western Immunoblot method. Horses that are considered candidates for EPM should have serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tested for the presence of S. neurona antibodies. Most EPM-infected horses recover if the disease is diagnosed early and treated appropriately.
Accurate.
Our extensive quality control includes:
- Using Western Blotting to detect S. neurona antibodies in serum and CSF.
- A battery of standards encompassing both highly and mildly reactive samples.
- Reporting of nonspecific reactivity, which may indicate infections with related protozoa.
- Greater repeatablility of results, because of a quantitative system.
Quantitative. (CSF Only)
- Densitometry is used to compare sample reactivity to a standard curve.
- Quality assurance is achieved by computer analysis of the standard curve before samples are analyzed.
- All results are double checked by hand to eliminate the possibility of computer errors.
Supported.
- Competitive pricing with volume discounts.
- Our technical support staff is available during business hours, 8 a.m.– 6 p.m. EST for any questions you might have about our results.
Convenient.
- 24-hour RUSH service.
Guaranteed.
- 2-day guaranteed turnaround time for results.
Other Services.
- Albumin quotient (AQ) and CSF Indices are offered to provide more information on the source of antibodies in samples.
- Total protein cytology tests are offered to assist in the confirmation or to rule out disease possibilities.
Tests Available.
- Albumin Quotient (Serum & CSF) — Item #620490
- CSF Index (IgG & AQ) — Item #620495
- Cytology 20% (EtOH) — Item #620492
- Previous Sample Comparison (Serum & CSF) — Item #620480
- Total Protein — Item #620497
- Western Blot (CSF) — Item #620450
- Western Blot (Serum) — Item #620400
- Western Blot (Serum & CSF) — Item #620475