I. Reimann et O. Werner, USE OF THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION FOR THE DETECTION OF RETICULOENDOTHELIOSIS VIRUS IN MAREKS-DISEASE VACCINES AND CHICKEN TISSUES, Journal of veterinary medicine. Series B, 43(2), 1996, pp. 75-84
Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) proviral DNA appears to be a frequen
t contaminant in Marek's disease (MD) vaccines. A polymerase chain rea
ction (PCR) was established and evaluated for its ability to detect RE
N proviral DNA in infected cell cultures and chicken tissues. Deoxynuc
leotide primers were selected from the highly conserved gag region of
the REV genome. The amplification products were identified by electrop
horesis, nested PCR and by hybridization with a digoxigenine-labelled
oligonucleotide. The PCR results correlated well with the diagnosis ob
tained by conventional procedures, i.e. virus isolation or indirect im
munofluorescence test (IIFT).