title: Development of a multiplex RT-PCR for the simultaneous detection of three viruses of the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.): acute bee paralysis virus, Black queen cell virus and Sacbrood virus.
abstract: A single-step multiple-target (multiplex) reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) was developed for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of three economically important viruses of the honeybee Apis mellifera L.: Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Black queen cell virus (BQCV) and Sacbrood virus (SBV). Three compatible sets of primers, specific for each virus, were designed in conserved regions of the viral genomes for use in a one-step (single tube) RT-PCR assay. The individual RT-PCR assays and the combined multiplex assay were optimized for highest sensitivity and specificity. The multiplex RT-PCR assay was tested on field samples collected from Austrian honeybee colonies. All three viruses were detected, and their identity was confirmed by sequencing of the PCR products. The described multiplex RT-PCR proved to be an accurate tool for rapid simultaneous detection of ABPV, BQCV and SBV directly in honeybee specimens.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Avian, Reptile and Fish Medicine, Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Herd Health Management, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, A-1210 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grabensteiner
authors.forename: Tamás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bakonyi
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pechhacker
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nowotny
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000821:virology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers