Veterinary PCR Testing :

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is both a very specific and sensitive approach for the direct detection of target DNA regions from a variety of sources. PCR has been used extensively in research and clinical diagnostics applications since the early 1980's. The specificity of PCR is a result of the targeted amplification of a unique region using forward and reverse primers at the appropriate annealing temperatures. Specificity and sensitivity can be further improved the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) followed by targeted hybridization with labeled probes (Southern Blotting). The presence of RNA can also be detected by reverse transcription followed by PCR. Clongen Laboratories have dedicated laboratory areas for extraction, amplification and detection of PCR products. Stringent procedures are applied by highly trained graduate level scientists to prevent cross contamination with the amplicons. Amplification reagents are prepared in a clean room, separate from the rest of the laboratory. Positive and negative controls are run in every assay to ensure that the reaction is working properly.