Molecular tools for the diagnosis of animal diseases

This article is a review of the recent advantages in the use of molecular technology for the diagnosis of animal diseases. The tools of molecular diagnosis such as cloning techniques, hybridization techniques, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are briefly described. This is followed by a review of how these tools are currently being used in veterinary medicine to diagnose many microbial, congenital, and neoplastic diseases in animals. A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods is also provided.