Abstract:

Despite Kary Mullis PhD saying that PCR testing cannot tell if there is disease present, or if an individual is infectious, it has become a commonly used test in veterinary medicine for certain infections. This review paper explains why clinical diagnosis and use as a standalone technique in research constitutes inappropriate usage of PCR and risks establishing false information as fact. Combined with the misinterpretation of results due to a seeming ignorance of the high incidence of false positives where disease prevalence is low, this is leading to the overdiagnosis of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in poultry and other species, and potentially other diseases too with serious implications and consequences depending on policies. When it comes to HPAI and other notifiable disease policies we must not abandon common sense nor lose sight of what is an achievable end goal that doesn’t cull unnecessarily and maintains farming viability going forward.

Keywords: PCR, HPAI