Hello Veterinary Partners,
We wanted to inform you of changes to our fee schedule that begin on July 1, 2026. The lab has embarked on a process of re-working our test catalog in order to re-establish budgetary balance. We remain committed to keeping testing affordable for our clients but also must be realistic about what it takes to maintain our services. While many prices have gone up, some have gone down. We have also discontinued several low volume tests in our Molecular section. Updated submission forms will be available on our website on July 1, 2026. They have a new look and will accurately reflect the available testing for the VDL. Please use the most up-to-date submission forms when requesting services. Please discard hard copies and delete bookmarks or electronic files of older versions of submission forms. This will help ensure rapid and correct processing of your testing.
Dear Veterinary Partners,
We want to inform you of our laboratory service schedule for
the remaining holidays in 2026 through January 2027.
Our laboratory will be closed on:
We will have limited service on:
Limited service means that the Receiving section will be here until approximately 12:00 pm to process drop-off and mail-in specimens. Samples will be routed to the appropriate sections for testing. While some testing may occur during limited service hours, most will be processed on the next business day. Please contact the laboratory with any questions.
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The University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is happy to announce the change of Laboratory Information Management systems to Core One For Labs (COFL). This will provide Clients with an updated, much improved Client Portal to access their submitted cases, reports and invoices.
To access the Client Portal please click the link here: Client Portal.
Click here to learn how to Log Into the Client Portal the first time.
After Logging into the Portal, click here for insights on Navigating the Portal.
Click here for information on Creating a Client Portal Submission.
*Click here to request an account with the VDL if this is your FIRST submission.
*ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANNOUNCES EXHIBITION REQUIREMENT CHANGES FOR DAIRY CATTLE*
Details of the Immediate News Release
Exhibition Requirement Testing Protocol
Interstate movement of lactating dairy cattle
Milk is the only acceptable sample. Nasal swabs are not acceptable.
Premises ID (PIN) is required on submission forms.
Samples must be tested through an approved NAHLN lab; our VDL is the NAHLN lab for Illinois.
Premovement testing of non-clinical animals does not need a FADI (Foreign Animal Disease Investigation) number.
Cows with potential H5N1 clinical symptoms
Referring veterinarian/clinic must obtain FADI number from State Veterinarian’s office or AVIC’s office prior to submission to the lab. For Illinois, State Veterinarian’ office: 217-782-4944 or AVIC’s office: 217-547-6030.
Interstate movement of non-lactating dairy cattle
( if required by destination state; also check IDOA website below)
Nasal swabs are acceptable samples
Nasal swabs cannot be pooled
Sample submission
Milk:
Submit individual milk samples (3-10 ml each) in a leak-proof container such as a screw cap tube.
Milk samples can be tested individually or in pools as needed; Pooling must be done at the lab
based on the smallest epi unit (a maximum of 5 samples per pool).
Milk must be collected from all quarters of the udder; such sample from a single animal is considered as one individual sample.
Ship on ice within 24 hours of collection.
Nasal swabs:
Submit individual swabs
Use Polyester/Dacron/Flocked swabs; Keep moist with a few drops of sterile saline to prevent drying out during transport (Cotton tipped swabs or swabs immersed in any gel or liquid medium are not suitable for PCR testing).
Ship on ice within 24 hours of collection.
Sample Testing and cost
Matrix PCR is performed first, followed by H5 PCR on Matrix non-negative samples.
In the case of pool testing, individual samples from non-negative Matrix pools will be tested for Matrix followed by H5 as needed.
All presumptive positive samples will be sent to NVSL for further testing (Virus isolation, sequencing etc.) at no cost to the clients.
Movement testing of non-clinical dairy cows as well FADI testing of potentially clinical cows is funded by USDA/APHIS.
Influenza A ELISA for Antibody Detection in Bovidae-origin milk and serum samples. This is a blocking ELISA. The test is currently being offered on Mondays and Thursdays, with samples to be in the lab by 9 am on testing day to have the same day results. Results will be notified to the submitting veterinarian, and State and Federal animal health officials in both the State where the laboratory is located and the State in which the animal was sampled.
Turnaround times:
Interstate Movement samples: 3 days
FADI samples: Varies depending on the priority status determined by the State Veterinarian’s office
NVSL turnaround times vary, usually 1 week minimum for confirmatory PCR/sequencing; virus isolation takes longer.
Resources:
IDOA guidance document for premovement testing: https://agr.illinois.gov/animals/animalhealth/alerts-and-important-animal-health-information.html
APHIS Requirements and Recommendations for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 Virus in Livestock For State Animal Health Officials, Accredited Veterinarians and Producers (April 26, 2024):
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/aphis-requirements-recommendations-hpai-livestock.pdf
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Additional informational articles regarding HPAI:
Contact the VDL Business Office if you have additional questions: 217-333-1620
A highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been identified in dairy cattle on farms in Texas and Kansas and we want to make sure that you are aware of the most recent information and updates provided through the following websites:
We will be monitoring the situation and reporting any suspected cases we receive to the USDA.
Additional Informational articles:
Contact the VDL Business Office if you have additional questions: 217-333-1620
Canine Respiratory Disease Outbreak
Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
College of Veterinary Medicine
We are recommending that if you have a suspect case that you take two oropharyngeal swabs (one synthetic swab in saline or PBS and a bacterial transport swab - AMIES swab) or tracheal wash for detection of known respiratory bacterial and viral pathogens.
We will run our routine viral testing for Influenza A, COVID, CAdV 1 and 2 CHV1, CDV. If appropriate, 16S rRNA sequencing and whole genome sequencing can be done. We will do routine bacterial culture and mycoplasma PCR including M. cynos. Blood in EDTA and serum would be helpful for further investigation.
If you have necropsy tissue lung, trachea, bronchial lymph node and spleen should be submitted refrigerated or cooled on ice and as well as formalin fixed tissue for histopathology. Regular testing fees will apply.
If you have questions, please contact us at 217-333-1620 or email vdloffice@vetmed.illinois.edu
The University of Illinois VDL will be closed on
Thursday and Friday, November 23rd & 24th, observing the Thanksgiving Holiday.
For emergencies, please contact the on-call Pathologist at 217-333-1620.
The University of Illinois VDL will be closed on Monday,
September 4th in observance of Labor Day. For emergencies please
contact the on-call Pathologist at 217-333-1620.
The University of Illinois VDL in Urbana will be closed on
Tuesday, July 4th observing Independence Day.
For emergencies, please contact the on-call Pathologist at 217-333-1620.
The University of Illinois VDL in Urbana will be closed on Monday,
June 19th observing Juneteenth. For emergencies please
contact the on-call Pathologist at 217-333-1620.
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