Moving molecular diagnostics from laboratory to clinical application: a case study using infectious pancreatic necrosis virus serotype A.
OBJECTIVE
Using an RT-PCR method for detection of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) in Atlantic salmon as a model, this study examined the optimization and validation required to provide a method suitable for IPNV detection from fish tissue.


RESULTS
IPNV-positive Atlantic salmon kidney samples that had been titred or kidney spiked with IPNV were used. The amount of RNA in the reverse transcription (RT), RT denaturation temperature and incubation time, PCR annealing temperature and number of cycles were optimized. The optimized RT-PCR was able to detect IPNV in Atlantic salmon kidney calculated to have a titre of ten infectious units.


CONCLUSIONS
Extensive optimization is required to produce a PCR for detection of fish pathogens from methods designed in the laboratory.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated some of the many variables that should be optimized before a fully validated assay can be claimed and illustrates the extensive validation required to fulfil requirements of the OIE and is of relevance to laboratories carrying out clinical testing.
Kerr
C R C
CR
FRS Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, UK. R.Kerr@marlab.ac.uk
Cunningham
C O
CO
D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D018175:Birnaviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D018061:Infectious pancreatic necrosis virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007668:Kidney / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D020317:Salmo salar / Q000821:virology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012703:Serotyping
D012367:RNA, Viral