ABSTRACT
Most of the countries that are faced with the economic losses and public health issues caused by animal brucellosis have governmental programs for the eradication or control of the disease. Accurate diagnostic procedures are critical for the success of these programs. This review examines PCR-based diagnostics for animal brucellosis in three contexts: 1) for screening large populations of livestock to identify infected herds, 2) for confirming the presence of infection in herds and identifying the species involved so that appropriate regulatory actions are taken, and 3) for identifying epizootic strains to help epidemiologists trace-back infections to their sources. Emphasis is placed on the diversity of methods that have been developed thus far, how the tests are used, and which tests are currently being tested and used in the field.
