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Background: Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are endemic in wild birds and their introduction and conversion to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in domestic poultry is a cause of serious economic losses as well as a risk for potential transmission to humans. The ability to rapidly recognise AIVs in biological specimens is critical for limiting further spread of the disease in poultry. The advent of molecular methods such as real time polymerase chain reaction has allowed improvement of detection methods currently used in laboratories, although not all of these methods include an Internal Positive Control (IPC) to monitor for false negative results. Therefore we developed a one-step reverse transcription real time PCR (RRT-PCR) with a Minor Groove Binder (MGB) probe for the detection of different subtypes of AIVs. This technique also includes an IPC. Methods: RRT-PCR was developed using an improved TaqMan technology with a MGB probe to detect AI from reference viruses. Primers and probe were designed based on the matrix gene sequences from most animal and human A influenza virus subtypes. The specificity of RRT-PCR was assessed by detecting influenza A virus isolates belonging to subtypes from H1-H13 isolated in avian, human, swine and equine hosts. The analytical sensitivity of the RRT-PCR assay was determined using serial dilutions of in vitro transcribed matrix gene RNA. The use of a rodent RNA as an IPC in order not to reduce the efficiency of the assay was adopted. Results: The RRT-PCR assay is capable to detect all tested influenza A viruses. The detection limit of the assay was shown to be between 5 and 50 RNA copies per reaction and the standard curve demonstrated a linear range from 5 to 5 × 108 copies as well as excellent reproducibility. The analytical sensitivity of the assay is 10-100 times higher than conventional RT-PCR. Conclusion: The high sensitivity, rapidity, reproducibility and specificity of the AIV RRT-PCR with the use of IPC to monitor for false negative results can make this method suitable for diagnosis and for the evaluation of viral load in field specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We describe a rapid, sensitive and reproducible real-time PCR assay for detecting and quantifying canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) DNA in the feces of dogs with diarrhea. An exogenous internal control was added to control the assay performance from extraction to amplification. The method was demonstrated to be highly specific and sensitive, allowing a precise CPV-2 DNA quantitation over a range of eight orders of magnitude (from 102 to 109 copies of standard DNA). The reproducibility of the CPV-2 real-time PCR assay was assessed by calculating the coefficients of variation (CV) intra-assay and inter-assay for samples containing amounts of CPV-2 DNA spanning the whole range of the real-time PCR standard curve. Then, fecal specimens from diarrheic dogs were analyzed by hemagglutination (HA), conventional PCR and real-time amplification. Comparison between these different techniques revealed that real-time PCR is more sensitive than HA and conventional gel-based PCR, allowing to detect low viral titers of CPV-2 in infected dogs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]