Digital PCR for veterinary applications
Digital PCR (dPCR) contributes to veterinary applications through absolute quantification of targeted nucleic acids with high precision, sensitivity, accuracy, repeatability and inhibitor resistance. The dPCR method is beneficial for:
- Detection of viral and bacterial pathogens
- Species identification
- Detection of mixed parasitic infections or mutations indicative of anthelmintic resistance
- Identification of new targets in drug development
- Development of individualized medicine for animals
Why use nanoplate dPCR for veterinary testing
- Absolute quantification – can detect low-abundant targets of animal pathogens and low parasitic loads at individual or flock levels even in mixed infections
- High specificity and sensitivity – key for biomarker assessment, to identify resistance to parasiticides and new targets for drug development, to detect epigenetic changes
- High precision – especially beneficial in animal virology for the detection of persistent or latent infections
- Multiplexing of up to 12 targets – decreases cost/analysis, increases throughput and enables simultaneous distinction of virulent and gene-deleted viral strains
Use cases of digital PCR for testing of pets, farm animals and wild animals
Digital PCR provides the absolute quantification needed to make confident decisions in testing of companion animals, livestock and wild animals. Below is a summary of common applications of dPCR in the testing of domesticated and wild animals, although many other uses are possible with the method.
Veterinary testing with nanoplate digital PCR
Customer experience: QIAcuity in veterinary parasitology
“The biggest advantage of QIAcuity is that it is easy to use. Other products require more hands-on time and the protocols are complicated.”
Dr. Dongmin Lee, Chief Operating Officer, International Parasite Resource Biobank who uses dPCR to investigate parasites in humans and animals.
Related dPCR products for veterinary testing
Microbial dPCR assays for testing of companion and farm animals
Choose from 1200+ microbial targets in our ready-made assays or design one for your target of interest.
Related dPCR resources for applied testing applications
Scientific publications with QIAcuity dPCR for animal testing
Davidson JL, et al. Detection of five viruses commonly implicated with bovine respiratory disease using loop-mediated isothermal amplification. Vet Q. 2026;46(1):2607418.
Brustenga L, et al. Diagnostic value of digital PCR (dPCR) in the diagnosis of Leishmania infantum from canine chronic dermatitis. Res Vet Sci. 2026;208:106248.
Gleerup D, et al. Standardized digital PCR assay validation using PCR-ValiPal, demonstrated in cross-platform quantification of bovine papilloma virus. Anal Chim Acta. 2026;1394:345210.