[Veterinary medicine and molecular biology: possibilities and limits of virus detection]

In the last years molecular biology has gained more and more influence in veterinary medicine, e.g. in animal breeding. In addition, methods of molecular biology may open new areas in the diagnosis of viral diseases, because they are fast and very sensitive. The following article displays an overview of molecular biological techniques that are currently in use for virus detection. In addition, the limits of these methods are discussed. In particular, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is described in some detail. Since this method has a considerable impact on the progress in molecular biology, it may as well be of importance for the detection of viruses. The potential of PCR in virus detection is illustrated using sheep and goat lentivirus and Bovine Viral Diarrhea/Mucosal Disease virus.