Implementation of molecular detection techniques in veterinary virology

Abstract

This review summarizes the research work of a recent PhD programme, which was a part of the international PhD training activities of the Veterinary Faculty of the SLU, the Collaborating Centre of the OIE. This PhD programme was focusing on the development and implementation of novel biotechnology-based techniques for the improved molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases of animals and man. In particular, it addressed diseases notifiable to the OIE, like the vesicular diseases complex and avian influenza, as well as Hepatitis E, an emerging zoonosis. With the worldwide introduction and use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodologies, the detection of pathogens improved significantly - however, these systems have their weak points. Thus the simultaneous screening of multiple pathogens has not been satisfactorily solved, and the multiplexing capacity of most variants of the method is in general insufficient. The PhD programme did not intend to review the entire spectrum of molecular diagnostics or multiplex DNA detection; it was rather intended to highlight a specific area. The entire text can be downloaded from http://diss-epsilon.slu.se/archive/00001885/. Herewith, the results of this successful PhD programme are summarised by the new PhD holder (PG) and by the main supervisor (SB), in order to provide a brief review on this international training programme, focusing on new trends in molecular diagnostic virology, with special regards to the improved detection of zoonotic pathogens and/or viruses in food safety.