A comparative study of molecular diagnostic methods designed to detect the crayfish plague pathogen, Aphanomyces astaci

All assays were found to be of good to excellent sensitivity with levels of detection ranging from 1 (real time assay targeting the ITS region), over 10 (conventional PCR) to 100 zoospores (real time assay targeting the chitinase gene). All three published assays were also specific for A. astaci and did not cross-react with any other test organisms included in this study. The tested variation of the conventional PCR assay with a changed forward primer led to amplification of some non A. astaci DNA. Advantages and disadvantages, including suitable application are discussed for each assay.