Recovery of ranavirus dsDNA from formalin-fixed archival material

The extraction and amplification of nucleic acid from formalin-fixed and pa raffin-embedded tissues has become an important exercise in the collection of retrospective epidemiological data. A protocol is described that enables the extraction and amplification of dsDNA from fixed tissues within paraff in blocks and from specimens stored in 10% (aq) formalin. The procedure can be used for the examination of ranavirus DNA within archival tissues there by providing valuable data for identifying the origin and tracing the sprea d of ranaviruses.