Resumen de Estandarización de la prueba RT-PCR para el diagnóstico de la peste porcina clásica en Venezuela

J. Virla, J.A. Aranguren, M.G. Portillo, A. Quintero Moreno, D. Zapata, J. Fernández, M. Trujillo, W. Mejía Silva

• Classical swine fever (CSF) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic and wild swine of all the ages, characterized by hemorrhagic lesions in multiple organs in susceptible pigs. In Venezuela, CSF was firstly described in 1941, since then, it is considered endemic. Diagnosis is done with direct immunofluorescence (IF) and molecular technology for CFS diagnosis has not been implemented. The aim of this trial was to establish and standarize the RT-PCR test in order to have an additional confirmatory test for CFS. Since the vaccine strain and tissue from animals experimentally inoculated amplified the expected product of 108 bp, corresponding to an 5-NTR gene fragment. In sensitivity test the RT-PCR technique was able to detect up to 0.32 minimum infective particles by RT-PCR assay. Regarding the specificity, no amplified product obtained from any strain of Bovine Viral Diarrhea. Because RT-PCR is highly sensitive, easy to perform and provides rapid results, it can be used as a commplementary classical swine fever diagnostic test.