Polymerase chain reaction for the detection and differentiation of Marek's disease virus strains MDV-1 and HVT

ABSTRACT

Marek's disease [MD] is a lymphoproliferative disease of chickens characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of various organs. The present study was an attempt to use polymerase chain reaction [PCR] to optimize a rapid and reliable assay for detection of MDV genome. Detection of serotype I of MDV [MDV-l] was confirmed by presence of a 200 bp DNA fragment as a PCR product. Differentiation of MDV- I and herpesvirus of turkeys [HVT] was also conducted using specific primers from the glycoprotein A [gA] gene and a 388 bp DNA fragment was amplified from HVT genome. The specificity of the test was confirmed by sequencing of PCR products. Results indicate that MDV-l can be diagnosed in clinical samples and inoculated cell cultures which is used for virus isolation. In addition, differentiation between MDV- I and HVT viruses was confirmed based on the size of PCR products. The test proved to be rapid and reliable and be performed as a robust diagnostic test in veterinary diagnostic laboratories