Bovine viral diarrhea virus infection: rapid diagnosis by the polymerase chain reaction.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied to detect bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) by amplification of its nucleic acid sequences in cell cultures, in serum samples of persistently infected cattle, and in organ specimens of acutely diseased calves. The primers and the probes were selected from the gp48 region of the cytopathic NADL strain. The products of single PCR or double PCR were identified by electrophoresis as well as by hybridization with biotinylated probes. The results thus obtained correlated with those of conventional diagnostic procedures, i.e., virus isolation and serology. The detection assay of the BVDV genome by the PCR amplification proved to be both specific and sensitive.