title: Real-time molecular beacon NASBA for rapid and sensitive detection of norovirus GII in clinical samples.
abstract: To improve the sensitivity and efficiency of the real-time nucleic acid sequence based amplification (NASBA) assay targeting the open reading frame 1-2 (ORF1-ORF2) junction of the norovirus (NoV) genome, a selection of clinical samples were analyzed. The assay results were compared with those of TaqMan and conventional reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and a commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) for the specific detection of GII NoV in 96 fecal samples. Based on end-point dilution, the two real-time assays had similar sensitivities (0.01 particle detectable units), two log10 cycles greater than that of conventional RT-PCR. GII NoV was detected in 88.54% of the samples by real-time NASBA, in 86.46% by TaqMan RT-PCR, in 81.25% by conventional RT-PCR, and in 65.7% by ELISA. The two real-time assays were in agreement for 88.5% of the samples. These results demonstrate that real-time NASBA with a molecular beacon probe is highly sensitive, accurate, and specific for NoV detection in clinical samples. Applying this technique to samples with complex matrix and low viral loads, such as food and environmental samples, could be useful for the detection of NoVs and will improve the prevention of NoV outbreaks.
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada.
authors.forename: Safaa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lamhoujeb
authors.forename: Hugues
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Charest
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fliss
authors.forename: Solange
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ngazoa
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jean
mesh_terms: D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D021161:Self-Sustained Sequence Replication / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity