News Alerts & Announcements

HPAI Permitting: For permitting questions call (223) 666-2555. For fastest response, leave a message including your contact info, or email RA-AG-PAPERMITS@PA.GOV
We will respond promptly.

HPAI Lab Weekend Schedule: The Specimen Drop-off sites are closed on the weekend. All Samples need to be delivered directly to the appropriate lab for that day. Specimen submission cut-off time is 11:30 am for Saturday and Sunday testing. Clients, please alert the testing lab by Friday COB via email/call if needing AI testing.

• Saturday, April 1 - Animal Diagnostic Lab at Penn State, State College
• Sunday, April 2 - New Bolton Center, Kennett Square
• Saturday, April 8 - PA Veterinary Lab, Harrisburg
• Sunday, April 9 - Animal Diagnostic Lab at Penn State, State College
• Saturday, April 15 - New Bolton Center, Kennett Square
• Sunday, April 16 - PA Veterinary Lab, Harrisburg
• Saturday, April 22 - Animal Diagnostic Lab at Penn State, State College
• Sunday, April 23 - New Bolton Center, Kennett Square
• Saturday, April 29 - PA Veterinary Lab, Harrisburg
• Sunday, April 30 - Animal Diagnostic Lab at Penn State, State College

Manheim Field Office: As of Wednesday, February 1, 2023, the Manheim Field Office will be closed for sample and bird drop-off until further notice. Any questions, please contact: Sherrill Davison; 610-636-1683 (cell); sdavison@vet.upenn.edu

Attention PADLS New Bolton Center (PADLS-NBC) clients:

The PADLS-NBC Mammalian Pathology Autopsy Service will be CLOSED until further notice due to an urgent need for replacement of the postmortem room coolers. This includes all autopsy and rabies testing submissions.

Avian submissions, biopsy submissions, and field autopsy (fixed tissue) submissions will NOT be impacted. During this period, submitters should contact the two other PADLS laboratories (PADLS-PVL and PADLS-ADL) or the Penn Vet Diagnostic Laboratory (small companion animals only) to inquire about availability of services. Contact information for these alternative laboratories is below. All out-of-state (non-Pennsylvania) submitters should contact their in-state diagnostic laboratories. Field autopsy submissions to PADLS-NBC are encouraged and a pathologist is on-call to provide guidance for these submissions.

We regret this inconvenience and will send an update when we are able to return to routine operations.

Thank you for your patience during this time.

• In-state diagnostic laboratories for clients in MD, NJ, NY, VA
• PADLS-ADL (Penn State) – Please call ahead for availability
  Penn State University Animal Diagnostic Laboratory
  Wiley Lane
  University Park, PA 16802
  Phone: (814) 863-0837
  Fax: (814) 863-3907
  Email: adlhelp@psu.edu
  
• PADLS-PVL (Harrisburg) - Please call ahead for availablility
  Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory
  2305 North Cameron Street
  Harrisburg, PA 17110
  Phone: (717) 787-8808
  Fax: (717) 772-3895
  Email: pvl@pa.gov
  
• Penn Vet Diagnostic Laboratories (Philadelphia campus) – small/companion animals
  Please call (215) 898-8857 for more information, or visit the website: https://www.vet.upenn.edu/veterinary-hospitals/ryan-veterinary-hospital/services/diagnostic-laboratories/sample-guidelines

Our hours of operation over the coming holiday season have recently been changed. Please visit the Holiday Schedule to view our updated hours.

Holiday Schedule: (http://padls.agriculture.pa.gov/InnerPages/PVLHoliday.html)

With continued evolving situation, preauthorization for SARS-CoV-2 testing of animals is no longer required but the specimen must be submitted through a veterinary clinic following our collection and shipping guidelines. Please call the lab to discuss submission @717-787-8808

• Submit a nasal swab (preferred) and oropharyngeal (or oral) swab in 1-3 mL of Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth or Viral Transport Medium (VTM). It is acceptable to discard approximately half of the BHI if provided with 5.5 mL tubes of BHI to obtain the proper amount of BHI broth in the tube. Rectal swab/feces can also be submitted but are not preferred specimens.
• Use synthetic (dacron or rayon) tipped, plastic shaft swabs. Do NOT use calcium-alginate, cotton tipped or wooden shaft swabs. Swabs submitted in collection media with gel are not acceptable.
• Package specimens as directed by IATA shipping guidelines as for any other diagnostic specimen. Ship specimens overnight on iced gel pack with a completed General PADLS submission form, available at http://padls.agriculture.pa.gov/PdfFiles/forms/GeneralSubmissionForm.pdf. Freeze specimens prior to shipping if they will not reach the lab within 48 hours of collection.
• Testing fee at PVL is currently $50/specimen unless waived with prior authorization.

Samples may be shipped by the licensed veterinarian using whatever overnight shipment or courier service they prefer to get them to the Pennsylvania Veterinary Lab (2305 N. Cameron St. Harrisburg, PA 17110). Do not use priority mail.

With the current mail and postal issues, we are encouraging adoption of electronic submissions for EIA testing. PVL now offers a total of 4 different Coggins submission/reporting methods and 3 of them are electronic:

1. VS Form 10-11 (dated FEB 2018 or later) - hardcopy results are currently mailed via USPS
2. PALIMS Mobile App - along with the PADLS Online Portal, this electronic option provides faster access to results – No Feeshttp://padls.agriculture.pa.gov/PdfFiles/forms/EIAMobileAppSubmissions.pdf
3. GlobalVetLink - web-based electronic system; fast access to results- Fee-based service https://www.globalvetlink.com/eia/
4. VSPS - USDA's web-based electronic system; fast access to results - No Fees USDA APHIS | Veterinary Services Process Streamlining (VSPS)

With current postal delays, we are temporarily advising, especially for “urgent” or “rush” cases, that those samples where possible are either hand delivered or sent via an overnight courier service with a guaranteed sample delivery at the laboratory.

The PADLS labs have announced the release of their new updated mobile app. The mobile app can be used by USDA Level 2 accredited veterinarians to submit EIA/Coggins test requests to the PADLS lab system. The updated Mobile App meets the requirements implemented with the USDA's recently released guidance for EIA testing. For veterinarians who have previously used the USALIMS Mobile App, you will need to download the new app onto your Android or iOS device. The app can be found in your app store by searching for "PA LIMS Mobile App". For veterinarians who have not previously used the mobile app, but would like to start using it, you can visit
http://padls.agriculture.pa.gov/PdfFiles/forms/EIAMobileAppSubmissions.pdf
to view the PALIMS Mobile App User Guide which contains instructions on signing up for an account.

To read the official announcement, see
https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Agriculture_details.aspx?newsid=897
For regular updates on any changes to PDA services, check
https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Pages/COVID-19.aspx