Trichomonas foetus Culture Proficiency Test (Trich PT)
When: The PT is offered annually between July and August.
Cost: Please contact the lab for pricing.
Please note: PTs requested outside of the normal testing window will be charged an additional $20 STAT fee.
Per IDAPA 02.04.29, only laboratories approved by ISDA Division of Animal Industries shall test official Trichomoniasis samples.
New/previously uncertified clinics must pass a one-time Facility Inspection before individuals at that clinic may be trained and certified to read cultures.
New/previously uncertified individuals must receive training by ISDA state veterinarians or ISDA Animal Health Laboratory personnel prior to requesting a proficiency test. Upon successful completion of the PT, individuals must recertify every 3 years.
The AHL does NOT provide sample collection training.
For any new, previously uncertified individuals, Trichomonas culture training is required to be completed prior to participating in a proficiency test. Training is conducted virtually. Complete the following steps:
(1) View the Trichomonas Culture Training Video.
(2) Submit and pass the online Trichomonas Culture Training Quiz.
You will receive a confirmation email immediately following quiz submission with your pass/fail status. After passing the quiz, you are eligible to participate in the proficiency test.
(3) Submit the Trichomonas PT Registration Form (one per clinic).
Recertification is required every three years per individual. If you are uncertain of your certification status, please contact us at ahl@isda.idaho.gov or 208-332-8570.
Submit the Trichomonas PT Registration Form (one per clinic).
Instructions
Unknown culture samples will be delivered to your clinic or laboratory for this PT. Samples are shipped overnight on Mondays (for Tuesday arrival) and Tuesdays (for Wednesday arrival). Participants must score a 100% on this PT to obtain/maintain certification and to continue Trichomonas culture testing.
Take the temperature of the samples when they arrive using an infrared thermometer. Samples must be stored at 37°C when they arrive. Do not refrigerate or freeze. Incubate the samples in a rack/container in an upright position. Everyone taking the re/certification test should look at the samples on the day they are delivered (Day 0) as well as Days 1, 3, 5, and 7 of incubation. Some of the Trichomonas strains are very fast growing and will overgrow and die very early in the culturing process. Those starting the reading late may miss some of the results.
Safety
Biohazard! Please treat all specimens as potentially infectious. Handle specimens using precautions and techniques routine to your laboratory. Once the PT is complete, inactivate and discard the Tritrichomonas culture pouches by autoclaving or adding 10% bleach to the pouches.
Results
Submit results online through the secure link. This link will be included in the PT shipment to your clinic. Following online submission of the PT results, participants will automatically receive a confirmation email providing the score. Participants must score a 100% on this PT to obtain/maintain certification and to continue Trichomonas culture testing. If participants pass, no further action is required and the individual/s are certified to read trich cultures effective immediately. Participants who earn a failing score must retake the test for the additional cost of a second PT to obtain or maintain certification. They must email ahl@isda.idaho.gov to request the retest; retests are not automatically provided.
Note: Clinics may opt to submit any official Trichomonas culture samples to the AHL for PCR testing. This does not impact certification.
The AHL T. foetus training video is available at https://youtu.be/65R52ZvxbDI.