title: Rapid detection protocol for filoviruses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of filovirus disease outbreaks has been increasing in recent years. Although there have been advances in the developments of diagnostics, field tests are rare. Apart from family members of infected patients, health care workers are at high risk of being infected during the initial phase of an outbreak. RT-PCR has been shown to be helpful in containing outbreaks.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop Taqman-RT-PCR for the detection of Ebola-Zaire virus (EBOV-Z), Ebola-Sudan virus (EBOV-S) and Marburg virus (MBGV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative Taqman-RT-PCRs for the detection of these viruses were developed and established on a portable Smartcycler TD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All three assays were highly sensitive and specific. The mobility of the assay system may help to contain future outbreaks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Street 11, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. Weidmann@ukl.uni-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weidmann
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mühlberger
authors.forename: Frank T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Hufert
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008379:Marburg Virus Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D029024:Marburgvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C113190:nucleocapsid protein, Ebola virus; C073094:nucleoprotein, Marburg virus