This book contains the proceedings of an international conference held in 2005 in Saint-Malo, France. The presentations were divided into 5 sessions. Examples are provided on several advanced molecular techniques that can be used to detect pathogens in multiple animal species (food producing animals, pets, wildlife, aquaculture species) and, also, to detect genetically modified organisms and plants.
Session I, Principles of Novel Techniques: Test Description and Potentialities, included such techniques as real-time PCR (RT-PCR) applied to foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), classical swine fever virus (CSFV), and African swine fever virus (ASFV); nucleic acid sequence-based amplification applied to avian influenza virus (AIV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), FMDV, CSFV, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV); high throughput sequencing and comparative genomics applied to FMDV; DNA micro-array; atomic force microscopy; and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy applied to feline calicivirus.
Session II, Standardization, Validation and Overcoming the Problems of Molecular Diagnostic Methods, examined how the standardization and validation of these refined technologies between laboratories represent a challenge. The exchange of reference reagents (including live pathogenic microorganisms) between laboratories and the transportation of the diagnostic samples from the field to the testing laboratories (which could be critical in the case of an exotic disease outbreak) are complicated by the implementation of stringent rules on transportation of dangerous goods.
Session III, Application in Detection of Pathogens and Screening Programs, emphasized that newer molecular techniques are more reliable in detecting certain pathogens than are older techniques that could not successfully provide adequate detection levels or were too time-consuming. Examples included screening for infectious pancreatic necrosis virus in salmon by RT-PCR, detection of porcine circovirus-2 by DNA micro-array analysis, and detection of Mycobacterium bovis in wildlife by PCR.
Session IV, Certainties and Uncertainties of Agent or Toxin Identification by Molecular Methods, expressed that although molecular techniques are more sensitive than older detection techniques, depending on the specificity of the probes that are available, it could be necessary to occasionally use both types of techniques to obtain a reliable identification of different serotypes or determination of pathogenicity of the strain. This was observed in the case of certain strains of highly pathogenic H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza virus.
Session V, Examples of Application in Quality Control of Human and Veterinary Vaccines, described how molecular techniques are useful in the detection of extraneous agents in animal vaccines (detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus in fetal bovine serum used in cell culture medium) and also in the differentiation of wild strains and vaccine strains of viruses. Molecular techniques can also be used to quantify the amount of antigen in vaccine (potency testing).
The content of this book is highly technical. It would mainly be of interest to veterinary research laboratories, veterinary diagnostic laboratories that can afford these technologies, manufacturers of animal vaccines, and regulatory agencies involved in disease control and licensing of animal vaccines.