Which sample condition suits which assay?

Table 1 displays all possible sample types and their suitability for laboratory assays.

a) Live fish

The best samples are those collected from live moribund (Table 1).

Advantages:

- You can observe behavior and follow up if necessary.

- No postmortem degradation

- Perfect for blood collection and serology

- No bacterial postmortem invasion

Disadvantages:

- Some fish may not survive the transport.

- Overnight mailing is not available in remote areas.

-  Difficult with larger fish

-  High Cost

-  Water can leak.

-  Fish can develop diseases while in transport.

b) Freshly dead whole fish specimens placed immediately on ice.

This is the second choice for submission of samples for diagnostic purposes.

Advantages:

- Acceptable alternative for fish not expected to survive transport.

- Works well for viral isolation, ELISA, and molecular assays

- Less weight for shipping

- Does not require access to compressed oxygen.

Disadvantages:

- Overnight mailing may not be available in remote areas.

-  Not ideal for proper bacteriology testing

-  Not ideal for histopathology

-  Not ideal for serological assays

-  Not ideal for detection of external parasites

- Cannot observe behavior.

c) Frozen fish

Freshly dead fish specimens that are immediately frozen for diagnostic purposes

Advantages:

- Can be held until able to ship.

- Can be used for viral isolation, molecular assays, and some antigen capture assays.

Disadvantages:

- Not ideal for proper bacteriology testing

- Cannot be used for histopathology.

- Cannot collect blood or serum.

-  Not ideal for detection of external parasites

-  Cannot observe behavior.

-  Requires access to dry ice for shipment.

Table 1: Types of samples and suitability for each laboratory assay.