(a) Testing
(1) All tests shall be made by approved personnel only as the basis for compliance with these regulations.
(2) All tests must be confirmed by an approved laboratory as the basis for compliance with these regulations.
(3) Samples for all retest purposes will be collected by Commission or APHIS personnel and submitted to the approved laboratory for testing. An epidemiologist may designate those animals that do not require a test. The herd of origin, as well as the herd in which the animal(s) is presently located, will be affected by the test results of the approved laboratory. The approved laboratory initial test result will prevail if the traced animal cannot be positively identified or if it has been slaughtered or died and cannot be retested.
(4) When the approved laboratory is unable to confirm results of a test because of insufficient serum, hemolyzed blood or broken tubes, the Commission may require a trace and retest of the animal(s) not confirmed.
(b) The following tests have been designated as official brucellosis laboratory tests in Cervidae:
(1) Card test
(2) Standard plate agglutination test (SPT)
(3) Complement-fixation test (CF)
(4) Rivanol test
(5) PCFIA
(c) Serologic Classification.
(1) Card test. Test results are recorded as either negative or Positive. An animal is considered a reactor when the card test is the only test conducted and the test is positive. An animal is considered a suspect when the card test is positive but supplemental tests or an epidemiologist's review support a suspect classification.
(2) Standard plate agglutination (BPI) test. The blood titers of Cervidae tested by the SPT method are interpreted in the following table.
(3) Manual complement fixation (CF) test. The manual CF test is interpreted in the following table.
(4) Rivanol test. Test results are interpreted in the following table.
(5) PCFIA. Test results are interpreted in the following table.
Source Note: The provisions of this §35.81 adopted to be effective August 22, 1999, 24 TexReg 6279