Equine Influenza Virus RT-PCR
This RT-PCR test looks for equine influenza virus in a nasal swab from a horse with fever and cough. It is an RNA virus, so the test first turns the RNA into DNA before it copies it.
- Sample
- Nasal swab
- Quantity
- As advised
- Report
- Confirmed when you book
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- RNA of equine influenza virus in a nasal swab
- Whether influenza is the cause of fever and cough in the horse
Often discussed at these ages:Adult Horse
When your vet may advise it
- A horse with sudden fever, a dry cough and nasal discharge
- Several horses in one stable with cough and fever
- Before horses are mixed or moved after an outbreak, as your vet advises
About this test
Equine influenza is a highly contagious virus that spreads quickly between horses through coughing, shared air, buckets and equipment. It causes sudden fever, a dry harsh cough, nasal discharge and tiredness. Other germs can cause similar signs, so a swab test helps your vet find the cause. Because the virus keeps its genetic material as RNA, the test first turns it into DNA and then copies it in real time (RT-PCR). A deep nasal swab from a horse early in its illness is the usual sample. A negative result does not always rule the virus out. A registered veterinarian reads the result together with the horse's signs and history.
How to prepare
Your vet takes a deep nasal swab and puts it in the transport medium the lab advises, kept cool. The lab confirms the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book.
Questions about Equine flu RT-PCR
Does a vaccinated horse still need a test?
How is equine influenza different from strangles?
Before you book this test
Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.
- Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
- What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
- The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
- Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
- Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.
Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.
Related tests
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Strangles (Streptococcus equi) RT-PCR
Nasal swab, guttural pouch wash or abscess pus
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More RT-PCR tests
Equine flu RT-PCR: Bhopal and the big cities of Madhya Pradesh
Free sample collection anywhere in Bhopal. From the other cities, send the sample by courier, bus parcel or through your local veterinarian, and the report comes to you online.
Free collection in these Bhopal areas
Read more
Equine Influenza and Herpesvirus: Fever and Cough Tests
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What Is RT-PCR in Veterinary Testing?
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Why Some Tests Are Sent to Partner Laboratories
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