Evaluation of a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for Pseudorabies virus surveillance purposes

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is the cause of Aujeszky's disease, a disease that is significant economically for the swine industry worldwide. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay based on the gB and gE genes was used to identify PRV nucleic acid in diagnostic samples. Using virus isolation (VI) as the gold standard, the PCR assay performed well in a variety of diagnostic matrices. Testing was conducted on 1,027 nasal swabs with the following findings: gB sensitivity: 94.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 92.3-96.4%), specificity: 71.0% (95% CI: 64.0-77.3%); gE sensitivity: 94.6% (95% CI: 92.3-96.4%), specificity: 79.3% (95% CI: 72.9-84.7%). Diagnostic performance of the real-time PCR assay developed as a testing method indicates that it is a rapid, accurate assay that can provide reliable results on clinical samples.