Modern-day biotechnology has an almost unlimited number of possibilities for reducing the impact of hereditary and infectious diseases. To date one of its most visible and rewarding applications for veterinary medicine has been in the genetic engineering of vaccines and diagnostics to assist in the eventual eradication of pseudorabies (PR, Aujeszky's disease). In the following review we summarize some of the most pertinent issues relative to PR eradication and point out the present and potential role of biotechnology in achieving our goal.