ABSTRACT
There has been a marked improvement in the diagnosis of viral infections over the last decade with the application of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and more recently real-time PCR. The employment of real-time PCR for virus detection offers the advantage of high sensitivity and reproducibility combined with an extremely broad dynamic range. However, the greatest impact of real-time PCR has undoubtedly been its ability to quantify the viral load in clinical specimens. The results can be expressed in absolute terms with reference to quantified standards, or in relative terms compared to another target sequence present in the sample. In addition, quantitative PCR (qPCR) tests offer the possibility to determine the dynamics of viral proliferation, monitor the response to treatment, and distinguish between latent and active infections.
