According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it 

displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0579-0146. The time required to complete this information collection is 

estimated to average .16 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and 

completing and reviewing the collection of information.

OMB Approved

0579-0146

EXP: 03/31/2023 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

NATIONAL VETERINARY SERVICES LABORATORIES

P.O. BOX 844, 1920 DAYTON AVENUE, AMES, IA 50010

515-337-7514

SPECIMEN COLLECTION 

Bovine Tuberculosis

Reactors, Suspects, and Trace-Exposed

Use this form only as a 

supplement to 

VS Form 10-4. See 

reverse for instructions.

1. SUBMITTER NAME (INCLUDING BUSINESS NAME) 2. NVSL SUBMITTER ID 3. OWNER NAME CHECK IF WILDLIFE (NO OWNER)

4. IDENTIFICATION

OFFICIAL ANIMAL ID HERD/MANAGEMENT TAG BREED/SPECIES AGE SEX

TRACE-EXPOSED ANIMAL? 

 YES

 NO

FROM WHICH AFFECTED HERD (NAME OR STATE)

5. PRIOR TEST RESULTS (CHECK APPROPRIATE BOX)

CAUDAL FOLD (CFT) TEST OR

SINGLE CERVICAL TEST (SCT) POSITIVE NEGATIVE NOT DONE

COMPARATIVE CERVICAL (CCT) 

 REACTOR SUSPECT NOT DONE

INTERFERON GAMMA ELISA RESULT

 DPP TEST RESULTS NOT DONE

OTHER ANTEMORTEM TEST RESULTS

6. EXAMINE AND SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING LYMPH NODES (LN):

SAMPLE ID LN

CHECK BOX IF 

NO GROSS 

LESIONS (NGL)

DESCRIBE LESIONS, IF PRESENT

HEAD LN POOL

MEDIAL RETROPHARYNGEAL NGL

LATERAL RETROPHARYNGEAL NGL

MANDIBULAR NGL

PAROTID NGL

THORACIC LN POOL

TRACHEOBRONCHIAL NGL

CRANIAL, MIDDLE, CAUDAL MEDIASTINAL NGL

ABDOMINAL LN POOL

MESENTERIC NGL

HEPATIC NGL

7. EXAMINE THE FOLLOWING TISSUES BUT SUBMIT ONLY IF LESIONED:

LUNG, PLEURA, LIVER, SPLEEN, OVARIES, UTERUS, PRESCAPULAR LN, CERVICAL LN, POPLITEAL LN, MAMMARY LN, AND/OR ILIAC LN

SAMPLE ID BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF LESIONED TISSUE

VS FORM 10-7 

MAY 2014
VS FORM 10-7 INSTRUCTIONS 

THIS FORM IS INTENDED AS A SUPPLEMENT TO VS FORM 10-4 

AND MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY VS FORM 10-4. ALL information 

must be printed legibly or typed. USE A SEPARATE FORM FOR 

EACH ANIMAL. 

1 and 2. SUBMITTER CONTACT INFORMATION 

Enter the submitter’s business name/affiliation and NVSL Submitter ID 

(if available) exactly as entered on VS Form 10-4.

3. OWNER INFORMATION 

Enter the name of the animal owner as entered on VS Form 10-4. 

4. IDENTIFICATION 

Sample ID – Ensure the sample identification number on this form 

matches the sample identification number placed on the 

specimen container.

Official Animal ID – Record the animal’s national identification tag 

number. NOTE: Laboratory results will be reported by animal 

identification number.

Herd/Management Tag – Record the identification used within the herd 

or management system.

Breed – Enter the animal breed or species (e.g., Holstein, Angus, 

Fallow Deer).

Age – Indicate the approximate age in years (y) or months (m). 

Sex – Indicate the sex, male (M), or female (F).

5. PRIOR TEST RESULTS

Enter the results of prior tests and examinations performed on the 

animal.

6. EXAMINE AND SUBMIT LYMPH NODES

Examine and submit the indicated lymph nodes. Check whether 

lesions were noted on each tissue and add any pertinent comments.

Unless otherwise directed by a USDA tuberculosis epidemiologist, use 

separate containers for head, thoracic, and abdominal lymph nodes 

from the animal, including those with no gross lesions. 

Ensure the sample identification number on this form matches 

the sample identification number placed on the specimen 

container.

7. EXAMINE OTHER TISSUES. SUBMIT ONLY IF LESIONS ARE 

FOUND. Examine each tissue listed in this section but submit samples 

only if lesions are found. Submit lesioned tissues in separate 

containers from lymph nodes listed in Block 6. Provide a brief 

description of the lesions found on each submitted tissue.

The FSIS Guidebook may be helpful for identifying tuberculosis 

lesions: 

See www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_diseases/tuberculosis/

downloads/tb_guidebook.pdf for instructions on submitting tuberculosis 

lesions and/or thoracic granulomas.

I. TISSUE SELECTION AND PRESERVATION

A. AVOID CONTAMINATION: Remove excess fat.

B. Divide lesions in half. Place one portion in formalin for 

histopathology and place the remaining portion in borate or 

whirl-pack for culture.

C. HISTOLOGY PORTION: Cut specimen, including normal 

tissue surrounding lesion, into slices approximately 1 cm 

(1⁄2 inch) thick. Prior to placing in formalin.

D. CULTURE PORTION: Place the intact portion of the sample 

into borate or whirl-pack. Do NOT cut the sample into slices.

E. Maximum tissue to preservative ration: Formalin – 1:10

 Borate – 1:1

II. IDENTIFYING DEVICES

If the identifying devices will not be held locally, place the identifying 

devices from each animal in a plastic bag, and send to the NVSL in the 

box with the specimens.

III. SHIPPING SAMPLES

A. Shipping containers are available from the NVSL. Contact 

the shipping department at 515-337-7530 or 

NCAH.Shipping@aphis.usda.gov. 

B. No refrigeration is required for borate or formalin. Ice packs 

are required for fresh tissue. DO NOT FREEZE; freezing 

ruins specimens. 

C. PREVENT LEAKAGE: Tighten and tape caps.

D. SECONDARY CONTAINER: Place samples in a leak-proof 

bag. 

E. ABSORBENT PAD: Place absorbent material in bag with 

samples to absorb any leakage.

F. IDENTIFYING DEVICES: Place in separate plastic bag with 

samples.

G. SHIPPING CONTAINER- Insert sealed secondary container 

into an approved diagnostic shipping container and seal.

H. SUBMISSION FORMS: Place between sealed secondary 

container and outside mailer.

I. RETURN ADDRESS: Provide complete return address on 

mailing label.

Ship submissions to:

USDA, APHIS

NATIONAL VETERINARY SERVICES LABORATORIES

1920 DAYTON AVE

AMES, IOWA 50010

TELEPHONE NUMBER: 515-337-7212

IV. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE

For questions regarding histology, contact the NVSL Pathobiology 

Laboratory at 515-337-7912.

For questions regarding bacteriology, contact the NVSL Diagnostic 

Bacteriology Laboratory at 515-337-7388.

VS Form 10-7 (Reverse)