[Usability of PCR-based techniques for diagnosis of parasitic infections in ruminants]

Sensitivity and specificity are the two most important criteria that define the quality of a diagnostic technique. DNA probes and PCR-based techniques may simplify the diagnosis of parasitic infections. PCR is a powerful diagnostics tool. The method enables detection of even a very small amount of DNA. An extreme sensitivity of the PCR, being a major advantage of the method is also a cause of potentially false positive results. To achieve reliable diagnostic results several modifications have been introduced to the classic PCR procedure. PCR and PCR-based techniques are currently increasingly used for detection of parasitic infections, to differentiate closely related species which are difficult to be recognised with traditional methods, for estimation of parasite burdens, and for the detection of drug resistant strains.