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Abstract

The Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an in vitro technique for producing large amounts of a specific DNA fragment. In the seven years since the method was published, it has had a major impact on medical research. Numerous reviews and technical books describe the theory, experimental protocols, and diverse application of PCR. This article will cover the principle and practice of PCR in the clinical laboratory and applications for diagnosing viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic diseases. One of the main objective of this review is to indicate those diseases for wich PCR offers an advantage over conventional diagnostic methods. For example it may be preferred method for detecting pathogens that are difficult, slow or impossible to culture.