Detection of new bunyavirus RNA by reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification.
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a newly emerging and epidemic infectious disease in central and northeast China. It is caused by New Bunyavirus and carries an average 12% case fatality rate. Early and rapid detection is critical for prevention and control of New Bunyavirus infection, since no vaccine or antiviral drugs are currently available, and prevention requires careful attention to control of the suspected tick vector. In this study, a simple and sensitive reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed for rapid detection of New Bunyavirus. The detection limit of the RT-LAMP assay was approximately 10(3) 50% tissue culture infective doses/ml of New Bunyavirus in culture supernatants, and no cross-reactive amplification of other viruses known to cause similar clinical manifestations was observed. The assay was further evaluated using 138 specimens from clinically suspected SFTS and 40 laboratory-proven hantavirus infection with fever and renal syndrome patients, and the assay exhibited 97% agreement compared to real-time RT-PCR and conventional RT-PCR. Using real-time RT-PCR as the diagnostic gold standard, RT-LAMP was 99% sensitive and 100% specific. The RT-LAMP assay could become a useful alternative in clinical diagnosis of SFTS caused by New Bunyavirus, especially in resource-limited hospitals or rural clinics of China.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, China.
Xue-Yong
XY
Huang
Xiao-Ning
XN
Hu
Hong
H
Ma
Yan-Hua
YH
Du
Hong-Xia
HX
Ma
Kai
K
Kang
Ai-Guo
AG
You
Hai-Feng
HF
Wang
Li
L
Zhang
Hao-Min
HM
Chen
J Stephen
JS
Dumler
Bian-Li
BL
Xu
D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D048348:Reverse Transcription; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013696:Temperature
D012367:RNA, Viral