Specific detection of all members of the Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis complex: development of a RT-Nested PCR

PISANO MB; SANCHEZ SECO MP; RÉ V.; FARÍAS A; TENORIO A; CONTIGIANI M

JOURNAL OF VIROLOGICAL METHODS

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: ; Año: 2012 vol. 186 p. 203 - 206

0166-0934

Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) complex belongs to alphavirus genus in the family Togaviridae. Several species of this complex are pathogenic to humans. VEE infections can produce severe or mild disease, and many cases remain undiagnosed. A specific and sensitive reverse transcriptase nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-Nested PCR) method was developed for the detection of all VEE subtypes, including Rio Negro Virus (RNV) (subtype VI), which circulates only in Argentina. Degenerated primers were designed and thermal cycling parameters were standardized. This technique is suitable for rapid and specific detection of these viruses, and may be useful for diagnosis and surveillance.