title: Nucleic acid testing for viral burden and viral genotyping.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Molecular diagnostics plays an important role in the diagnosis and clinical management of a wide array of infectious diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Advances in molecular technology and methods of detecting nucleic acid sequences have revolutionized the field of virology. These developments are reflected by the rapid diagnosis and monitoring of viral agents as well as assessment of clinical disease associated with viral infections. In addition to many commercially available molecular based assays, many laboratories offer in-house developed assays for a variety of viral targets. The introduction of real-time PCR technology has made a large impact on virology testing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The role of real-time PCR for the diagnosis of viral infections is enhanced by the accuracy, rapidity and ability to quantitate viral target sequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75246, USA. ranas@baylorhealth.edu
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Domiati-Saad
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Scheuermann
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods*