Biotechnological methods offer promising approaches for improved diagnostic and prophylactic purposes. The following biotechnological techniques are used in the Institute of Virology at the Hanover Veterinary School:--Production of
monoclonal antibodies directed against viral and bacteria-specific
antigens such as bovine virus diarrhoea virus,
classical swine fever (hog cholera) virus, feline leukaemia virus, animal parvoviruses, Alphavirus, Brucella and Francisella--Establishment of improved and sensitive diagnostic
enzyme immunoassays (ELISA) using
monoclonal antibodies--Molecular cloning and sequencing of classical swine fever virus
RNA and parvovirus
DNA--Development of diagnostic hybridisation techniques (dot, slot, Southern and Northern blot, in situ,
oligonucleotides)--Detection of viral genomes in tissues of infected animals--Development of synthetic
oligopeptides as diagnostic
antigens and as potential immunogens for
vaccines. Currently available techniques used in basic research (e.g. pathogenesis studies) will be tested for their application in routine diagnosis of
viral diseases, e.g. by molecular hybridisation. Some techniques need to be simplified (e.g.
RNA extraction procedures) and, particularly, alternative labelling schedules must be developed (e.g.
biotin or
sulfone labelling instead of
radionuclides).