CTDS Ltd is approved by the Horserace Betting Levy Board as an approved laboratory for CEMO Testing - Approved certificates issued for CEM and EVA.
click here to see current list of approved laboratories

1. Sample collection

• Samples Required
  
  Stallions and Teasers: 4 swabs taken from the urethra, the urethral fossa and the sheath of the penis. Where possible, obtain pre-ejaculatory fluid too (charcoal swabs).
  
  Mares CEM - mare (clitoral swab) (transport swab)
  
  CEM & EVA (transport swab and 0.5 - 1ml heparin plasma or serum - plain or gel tube)
  
  EVA (0.5ml - 1ml heparin plasma or serum - plain or gel tube)

• Full swabbing guidelines for mares, dependant on their risk factor, is given at the DEFRA site here.

2. Sample types.

• CEM - Transport swabs are recommended for CEM testing must be with charcoal medium. Please submit separate swabs from each site, clearly labelled with the site please.
• EVA Serology - 0.5ml to 1ml of heparin plasma or serum is required (either plain or gel tubes are suitable).

It is very important that CEM swabs arrive as soon as possible, within 48 hours of collection, so transportation over the weekend or long term storage at the practice is not recommended.

3. Prices for 2004/2005 season.

Test required	Request code	Sample	Price £ exc VAT / Turnround
1 X CEM	CEM	Charcoal swab	£15.00 - < 7days
each Additional CEM swab	CEM+	Charcoal swab	£ 9.00 - < 7 days
EVA serology	EVA	0.5-1ml LH Plasma/Serum	£18.00 - 5 days
EVA when submitted with CEM request	EVA+	0.5-1ml LH plasma or serum & charcoal swabs	£14.00 - 5 days
Klebsiella capsular typing			£45 - 7 days

Please contact the laboratory for a quotation on >5 stallions or mares.

1. What is it?
Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) is a highly contagious venereal disease caused by Taylorella equigenitalis. Klebsiella Pneumoniae and Psuedomonas Aeruginosa can also cause veneral disease and cause loss of fertility in the mare. The disease is resident in mares and transmitted by stallions with infection being spread from the stallion/teaser to mare or from mare to stallion/teaser during mating or teasing. The bacteria can also be spread via semen collected for Artificial Insemination (AL).

2. What are the symptoms
Mares : In severe cases, there is an obvious discharge from the vagina. In other cases, mares may be infected with less obvious symptoms, or with no symptoms at all. Any mares coming into season early, or breaking early in their cycle, should be viewed with suspicion.
Stallions/Teasers : Infected stallions/teasers do not usually show any symptoms at all.