New Method for Diagnosis of Pestivirus Infections

GLOBAL - Classical swine fever (CSF), a highly contagious viral infection of domestic pig and wild boar, is one of the most devastating porcine diseases worldwide. The disease is endemic in Asia and prevails in many Central and South American countries, as well as in Eastern Europe.

20 August 2009

2 minute read

Infections in swine with pestiviruses other than CSF virus (CSFV) can give rise to a clinical disease that is indistinguishable from CSF. The rapid and accurate differentiation of CSFV from non-CSFV pestiviruses is decisive because whereas CSFV infection of domestic pigs demands strict control measures to prevent vast economic losses for other pestivirus infections in pigs, no immediate zoo-sanitary measures are prescribed. Since different pestiviruses are closely related, both immunologically and genetically, the ruminant's pestivirus infections in swine can result into a false CSF diagnosis.

Here, the development and evaluation of a novel multiplex, highly sensitive and specific RT-PCR for the simultaneous detection and rapid differentiation between CSFV and other pestivirus infections in swine are explained.

The multiplex RT-PCR assay described here provides a sensitive tool for simultaneous detection and rapid differentiation between CSFV and other pestiviruses infections in swine. The reaction can be performed in a rapid and cost-effective manner. This method could be a good alternative for diagnostic laboratories with limited economic resources probably located in developing nations where CSF outbreaks occur frequently.