APPLICATION OF REAL-TIME PCR FOR RAPID DETECTION OF INFLUENZA A AND RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS

Abstract

In the past few years, avian influenza outbreaks have been disaster for Vietnam and for some countries in the region. Avian influenza impacts seri ously on the economic and sustainable development of many countries. In addition, an implicit threat of avian influenza change in the antigenicity and pathogenicity leading to the influenza pandemics has been also high on the agenda of the world. Therefore, in order to protect us from being infected by influenza virus. a method for rapid detection of this virus is urgently needed. In this study, we have applied Real-time PCR for detection of influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which are currently spreading in Vietnam. As regard to influenza, primers were designed to amplify specific sequences of gene MA and gene HS of AfH5NI influenza viruses. While for RSV, primers were directed to region of a gene encoding fusion protein. The results showed that using real-time-PCR assay on the LightCycler 2.0 system with above mentioned primers, we could rapidly detect influenza A and the HS avian influenza hemagglutinin (HA) subtype, and RSV within two hours. Particularly, we have developed a multiplex Real-time-PCR (RT-PCR) assay for the simultaneous detection and typing of influenza A and the H5 avian influenza hemagglutinin (HA) subtype.