Fall 2026

Inside the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory

By Ahsan Naveed

The Molecular Diagnostics Section at the Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center provides rapid, molecular-based testing to help veterinarians, producers, animal owners, and public health professionals detect and understand infectious diseases. Using real-time PCR, multiplex PCR, digital PCR, and next-generation sequencing, the laboratory detects pathogens directly from clinical samples or characterizes isolates to support disease investigations and surveillance.

The section tests a wide variety of species and sample types, including syndromic panels for common diseases. Behind each result are validated methods, quality control, high-throughput sample processing, and experienced staff.

Molecular Diagnostics staff perform PCR-based testing to detect and characterize infectious pathogens.

New Testing Capabilities

The section continues to expand its menu with tests that continue to add value and information to client results.

Theileria typing PCR

This assay differentiates three Theileria orientalis genotypes. Theileria are tick-borne apicomplexan parasites that can cause anemia, weakness, and abortion in cattle. Genotypes largely determine clinical significance, so typing helps veterinarians distinguish harmless infections from important ones.

• Ikeda: the most virulent, linked to most clinical disease and economic loss, and reported spreading in the eastern U.S.
• Chitose: also associated with disease, though less often than Ikeda.
• Buffeli: generally benign and often found in healthy cattle.

Snake fungal disease PCR

This test rapidly detects Ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the fungus behind an emerging disease of snakes, and supports diagnostic investigations and wildlife health surveillance.

Salmonella typing (Check and Trace)

This kit confirms that an isolate is Salmonella and identifies its serovar, covering 106 clinically and regulatory-relevant serovars, including Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Newport, and Dublin. Isolates outside this list receive a "genovar" code, a genetic fingerprint that still allows comparison between isolates. Typing helps determine whether isolates are related, which is valuable when investigating recurring infections or transmission between animal populations. This test offers a much enhanced turnaround time for identifying serovars of concern over standard agglutination assays

For more information, please visit the NVDC test catalog.