title: [Design and rapid evaluation of a TaqMan assay for the detection of influenza A viruses].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To design and rapidly evaluate a TaqMan assay for detecting influenza A viruses.
  
  
  METHODS
  The probe and the primers of the assay were designed with the software packages of DNA Star and Primer Premier 5.0. Their specificity and conservation were verified through Blast in GenBank and electronic hybridization. The assay's sensitivity was compared with the standard RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The designed primers and probe were confirmed to be very specific and conserved. The assay was 3-27 folds more sensitive than the standard RT-PCR. The RT and PCR steps could be simplified into one step.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TaqMan Real-time PCR assay is specific, sensitive and easy to perform.
authors.affiliation: National Diagnostic Center of Animal Exotic Infectious Diseases, Animal Quarantine Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao, 266032, China.
authors.forename: Ji-ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi-liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zeng-chang
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Cheng-ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ying-xue
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Cui-ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity