title: Virus detection protocols for west nile virus in vertebrate and mosquito specimens.
abstract: The recent outbreaks of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in the northeastern United States and other regions of the world have made it essential to develop efficient, sensitive, and rapid protocols for virus surveillance. Laboratory testing is the backbone of any surveillance program. Protocols to detect the presence of WNV have been refined since 1999 for sensitivity, speed, efficiency, and specificity. This paper presents the protocols currently used by the New York State Department of Health to handle vertebrate and mosquito specimens that have been submitted for WNV testing to the Arbovirus Laboratories of the Wadsworth Center.
authors.affiliation: The Arbovirus Laboratories, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, New York 12159, USA. Ebk01@health.state.ny.us
authors.forename: Elizabeth B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Kauffman
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Alan P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Dupuis
authors.forename: Kiet A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.forename: Kristen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: Laura D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D009033:Culicidae / Q000821:virology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D009928:Organ Specificity; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000821:virology*; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012367:RNA, Viral