Cattoli G, Capua I
OIE and National Reference Laboratory for Newcastle Disease and Avian Influenza, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, Italy.
Dev Biol (Basel). 2006;124:99-105.
Virus isolation (VI) in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) embryonated eggs or cell cultures is traditionally considered the method of choice for the detection and identification of avian influenza (AI) viruses. However, its value is limited because it is time-consuming and not cost-effective. AI is a highly contagious disease, able to spread in a susceptible population in a short period of time. Therefore, the prompt identification of an infected flock is crucial for control and eradication purposes. During an AI outbreak, the sample processing times using the above mentioned methods are often not compatible with the demands of the poultry industry. In addition, the delay in moving birds from a premises, whilst awaiting the VI result, often results in animal welfare issues. For this reason, when dealing with an epidemic of AI, rapid and reliable laboratory tests, such as RT-PCR and real-time PCR, should be available to reveal direct evidence of infection in the flocks. Scientific reports have been published in the recent past, evaluating their use during AI monitoring and surveillance programmes and epidemics. Based on the available information, the advantages and limits concerning the application of molecular methods during AI outbreaks are discussed in this paper.
在无特定病原体（SPF）鸡胚或细胞培养物中进行病毒分离（VI）传统上被认为是检测和鉴定禽流感（AI）病毒的首选方法。然而，其价值有限，因为它耗时且不具有成本效益。禽流感是一种高度传染性疾病，能够在短时间内在易感群体中传播。因此，迅速识别受感染的鸡群对于控制和根除目的至关重要。在禽流感爆发期间，使用上述方法的样本处理时间往往与家禽业的需求不相符。此外，在等待病毒分离结果期间，延迟将禽类从一个场所转移，往往会导致动物福利问题。出于这个原因，在应对禽流感疫情时，应具备快速可靠的实验室检测方法，如逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）和实时聚合酶链反应（real-time PCR），以揭示鸡群感染的直接证据。最近已经发表了一些科学报告，评估了它们在禽流感监测和监视计划以及疫情期间的应用。基于现有信息，本文讨论了在禽流感爆发期间应用分子方法的优点和局限性。
