title: Strain-specific reverse transcriptase PCR assay: means to distinguish candidate vaccine from wild-type strains of respiratory syncytial virus.
abstract: Candidate live-virus vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus are being developed and are beginning to be evaluated in clinical trials. To distinguish candidate vaccine strains from wild-type strains isolated during these trials, we developed PCR assays specific to two sets of candidate vaccine strains. The two sets were a group A strain (3A), its three attenuated, temperature-sensitive variant strains, a group B strain (2B), and its four attenuated, temperature-sensitive variant strains. The PCR assays were evaluated by testing 18 group A wild-type strains, the 3A strains, 9 group B wild-type strains, and the 2B strains. PCR specific to group A wild-type strains amplified only group A wild-type strains, and 3A-specific PCR amplified only 3A strains. PCR specific to group B wild-type strains amplified all group A and group B strains but gave a 688-bp product for group B wild-type strains, a 279-bp product for 2B strains, a 547-bp product for all group A strains, and an additional 688-bp product for some group A strains, including 3A strains. These types of PCR assays can, in conjunction with other methods, be used to efficiently distinguish candidate vaccine strains from other respiratory syncytial virus strains.
authors.affiliation: Division of Viral and Rickettsial Disease, Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Peret
authors.forename: V B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Randolph
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Crowley
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000235:genetics; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines