Detection of Junin virus by the polymerase chain reaction.
Argentine hemorrhagic fever is an often fatal human disease caused by Junin virus, an RNA-containing virus and member of the Arenavirus family. This virus was detected in vitro by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure. A pair of Junin virus-specific PCR DNA oligonucleotide primers and an oligonucleotide probe were designed from a known portion of the viral RNA sequence. RNA was isolated from Junin virus-infected monkey kidney cells and used to produce complementary DNA (cDNA) by reverse transcription. A DNA segment, 151 +/- 24 bp long, was amplified from this cDNA and characterized by agarose gel electrophoresis and Southern blot hybridization with the Junin virus-specific DNA probe. Sensitivity experiments showed that Junin virus could be detected with nanogram quantities of RNA isolated from virus-infected cells. The rapid and sensitive assay described here may contribute towards the development of a procedure for the early diagnosis of Argentine hemorrhagic fever.
Bockstahler
L E
LE
Molecular Biology Branch, Food and Drug Administration (HFZ-113), Rockville, MD 20857.
Carney
P G
PG
Bushar
G
G
Sagripanti
J L
JL
D006477:Arenaviruses, New World / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods
D015342:DNA Probes; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral