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Bulletin No. 21 - Spring 2005
MiscelleanousDiagnostic techniques
YEARY TJ, KAPIL S
A primer on diagnostic virology: specimen selection and serology.
Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian, 2004, Volume 26, Nº8, 1284-1292
The considerable advances in new diagnostic technologies make available an increasing number of methods to detect and identify infectious agents. However, more choice also means more difficulty to individuate the most suitable method for a given infectious agent. The authors examine the currently available techniques for viral serology and viral antigen detection (virus isolation and molecular-based detection of genetic material will be examined in a subsequent paper). Some important aspects of antibody detection are worth pointing out here. Antibody detection is an evidence of an immune response to a pathogen but is does not imply that such antibodies provide protection against the disease. The detection of serum antibodies can be indicative of a previous vaccination or exposure to the pathogens. Consequently, paired acute and convalescent serum samples are necessary to identify an ongoing infection and a minimum of a four-fold increase in serum titer of the convalescent serum compared to the acute serum titer is required to conclude. A fully-detailed review of the more appropriate ways to select, collect and transport specimens is also included.
