Dual-Probe Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection of Variola or Other Orthopoxviruses with Dried Reagents
Abstract
A real-time, multiplexed PCR assay based on dried PCR reagents was developed. Only variola virus could be specifically detected by a FAM (6-carboxyfluorescein)-labeled probe while camelpox, cowpox, monkeypox and vaccinia viruses could be detected by a TET (6-carboxytetramethylrhodamine)-labeled probe in a single PCR reaction. Approximately 25 copies of cloned variola virus DNA and 50 copies of genomic orthopoxviruses DNA could be detected with high reproducibility. The assay exhibited a dynamic range of seven orders of magnitude with a correlation coefficient value greater than 0.97. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay, as determined from 100 samples that contained nucleic acids from a multitude of bacterial and viral species were 96% for variola and 98% for orthopoxviruses, respectively. The limit of detection, sensitivity and specificity of the assay were comparable to standard real-time PCR assays with wet reagents. Employing a multiplexed format in this assay allows simultaneous discrimination of the variola virus from other closely-related orthopoxviruses. Furthermore, the implementation of dried reagents in real-time PCR assays is an important step towards simplifying such assays and allowing their use in areas where cold storage is not easily accessible.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 10, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA492054
Entities
People
- John Huggins
- Mohamed Aitichou
- Monica O'guinn
- Park Kyusung
- Peter Jahrling
- Sharron Saleh
- Sofi Ibrahim
Organizations
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases