The pathologist in virology.
While the study of a virus may be the domain of a virologist or molecular biologist, an understanding of the pattern and dynamics of a viral disease in the animal requires a multidisciplinary attack by a team that includes a pathologist. This balance is particularly needed in the field where natural disease can be subject to influential variables such as duration of infection, immune status of the population and the presence of intercurrent infectious agents that may be latent or superimposed. Complicating agents vary widely from region to region, e.g. Africa compared with South-east Asia. Accurate diagnosis of a field outbreak may therefore be difficult in the absence of a full battery of diagnostic tools. The design of investigations is critical to the proper interpretation of findings.
Department of Biomedical and Tropical Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld., Australia.
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Campbell
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D005843:Geography; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D010336:Pathology / Q000639:trends*; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends; D014773:Virology / Q000639:trends*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D014780:Viruses