Establishment and application of RT-PCR for detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus.

A reverse transcription PCR(RT-PCR) for detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus(BVDV) was established using a pair of specific primers based on the 5'UTR gene of BVDV published in GenBank.This method could specifically amplify a 218bp fragment from BVDV Oregon C24V strain,but not from classical swine fever virus,blue tongue virus,infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus,porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus,porcine pseudorabies virus and normal MDBK cells.In a test of 70 samples suspected with swine disease,the detection rate was about 15.7%.Out of 5 calf sera for cell culture,2 were positive with BVDV.The established RT-PCR was specific,sensitive,efficient and rapid for the detection,monitoring and epidemiological investigation of BVDV infection.