[DNA probes in the diagnosis of infectious diseases]

With the recent and rapid developments in recombinant DNA technology it has become much easier to use nucleic acid probes in diagnosis of infectious diseases. In this review some parameters like designing of probes, selection of tags, hybridization reaction conditions and in situ hybridization have been discussed. In addition, some examples have been reported which employ techniques of dot-blot hybridization and in situ hybridization for the diagnosis of latent cytomegalovirus infection.