Limits and risks of biotechnology in veterinary medicine from the viewpoint of the virologist

The methods of biotechnology especially of recombinant technology opened new horizons for studies and directed control of the genomic deoxyribonucleic acid of plants, animals and men. These chances for plant breeding and animal husbandry include techniques for improved diagnosis and prophylaxis of infectious diseases or genetic defects. However, we have also to very carefully consider the potential risks of these techniques which cannot be fully evaluated at present. In this paper some of the ethic, moral and social consequences will be discussed.