title: Rapid detection of viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis virus complex by RT-PCR of viral RNA.
abstract: Studies were performed to identify a pair of primers, specific for the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus complex of the Flaviviridae, with which to develop a rapid and specific identification system based on reverse transcription and the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The specificity of a putative primer pair was examined by RT-PCR of representative viruses from other antigenic complexes of the Flaviviridae and by computer sequence homology checks. All viruses of the TBE complex tested, with a single exception, were identified by RT-PCR using the identified primer pair. Accumulated data suggest that one of the putative primers identified in these studies may have flavivirus group specificity. The advantages of such a primer in the development of identification systems for all virus complexes of the Flaviviridae is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Central Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Whitby
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Whitby
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Barrett
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012367:RNA, Viral