Queensland agriculture minister John McVeigh says turnaround times for BJD testing in the State are set to speed up when Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is moved to Biosecurity Queensland's Coopers Plains laboratory in Brisbane.

PCR testing is a routine diagnostic test used for many diseases and offers significant advantages over conventional testing, especially in turnaround time.

Biosecurity Queensland has been conducting validation trails of faecal BJD PCR tests at Coopers Plains for the past four months.

Mr McVeigh said results of the trials have been successful to date.

A meeting of the Veterinary Laboratory Quality Management System group this week will consider the validity of the trials to determine if Queensland can go ahead with running the tests at Coopers Plains.

Once the validation results are accepted, PCR testing can be undertaken on a permanent basis at the Coopers Plains laboratory.

Mr McVeigh said PCR testing at the Coopers Plains laboratory would mean most testing turnaround times would be reduced.

"The quicker the BJD disease status of herds on affected properties can be determined, the quicker movement restrictions can be lifted," he said.

"The use of PCR in testing BJD is quite a new process that we have had completed at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI) in NSW over recent months. 

"Arrangements are still in place to use interstate laboratories when required, however, Queensland will be self-sufficient with BJD PCR testing.

"The New South Wales laboratory at EMAI has played a valuable role in resolving the disease status of many BJD properties so far and I thank the New South Wales Government for its cooperation."

PCR tests have been used regularly at Coopers Plains to detect Hendra virus and other disease agents.

Source: QDAFF