Reportable diseases: monthly reporting requirements for diagnostic laboratories
Updated 24 March 2025
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/listed-diseases-in-animals-case-definitions-testing-and-reporting/reportable-diseases-monthly-reporting-requirements-for-diagnostic-laboratories
Diagnostic laboratories in Great Britain are required to report the detection of some listed diseases in animals to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
1. Reporting requirements
Reporting requirements are dependent on the specific disease or genotype, species and diagnostic test used.
Reporting applies to:
- all positive detections from individual samples
- pooled samples
- bulk milk tank samples
Notifiable diseases must be reported immediately - read the notifiable diseases in animals guidance.
You can find the specific requirements for salmonella reporting in the report suspected salmonella in animals guidance.
In addition avian influenza is a reportable disease in wild birds in England. In England, if you analyse a sample taken from a dead or live wild bird and you detect avian influenza virus or antibodies to avian influenza virus, you must report it within 14 days of detection. Further information can be found in our Avian influenza and influenza of avian origin: diagnostic testing, controls and reporting obligations guidance.
1.1 Definitions
- ‘Listed diseases’ are all animal diseases that must be notified or reported to government as a result of statutory provisions.
- ‘Notifiable diseases’ are listed diseases which require notification on suspicion, without confirmatory testing. Notification can be made by anyone.
- ‘Reportable diseases’ are listed diseases which only require notification following detection in diagnostic testing in a laboratory, the field or other setting.
2. Diseases to be reported monthly
Report the detection of the following diseases on a monthly basis:
| Disease | Species and group of species | Reportable test results which indicate the animal or carcase is or is reasonably suspected to be infected |
|---|---|---|
| Paratuberculosis | Cattle (including water buffalo and bison), sheep, goats and deer | PCR, Histology, ZN smear, Liquid culture, Indirect antibody ELISA, Complement Fixation Test |
| Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (due to Bovine herpes virus 1) | Cattle (including water buffalo and bison), camelids and deer | PCR, Virus isolation, Immunohistochemistry, FAT, gE ELISA (used for cattle vaccinated with marker live vaccine) |
| Bovine viral diarrhoea 1 Where testing differentiates BVDV-1 and BVDV-2, BVDV-2 must be reported as soon as possible. Undifferentiated BVDV is reported monthly. |
Cattle (including water buffalo and bison) | Antigen ELISA, PCR, Virus isolation, immunohistochemistry |
| Bovine genital campylobacteriosis | Cattle (including water buffalo and bison) | Culture of Campylobacter foetus subsp venerealis |
| Trichomonosis | Cattle (including water buffalo and bison) | Culture of Trichomonas foetus |
| Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus 1 Where testing differentiates PRRSV-1 and PRRSV-2 , PRRSV-2 must be reported as soon as possible. Undifferentiated BVDV is reported monthly. |
Pigs | PRRSV PCR, Virus isolation, Immunohistochemistry |
| Avian mycoplasmosis (Mycoplasma gallisepticum and M. meleagridis) | Domestic fowl and turkeys | PCR, DGGE/PCR, culture |
Submit your report as soon as possible after the month end and within 30 days of the end of the reporting period at the latest.
3. How to submit your report
Report these diseases at premises level.
- Download and complete the monthly reporting template (ODS 15KB) to submit your laboratory’s report
- Email the report to: MonthlyAHRegs@apha.gov.uk.
Reporting of nil returns is encouraged to enhance APHA’s ability to demonstrate surveillance activities for these diseases.
Anonymised data may be shared within APHA, Defra, the Welsh Government and Scottish Government to enhance value of the data to industry.
4. Contact the Surveillance Intelligence Unit (SIU)
Email SIU@apha.gov.uk with any queries or for further information.
5. Privacy notice
Read the exotic, notifiable and reportable diseases privacy notice.