Abstract. An efficient and rapid virus detection method is required for routine monitoring and risk assessment in food products. A duplex RT-coupled nested PCR method was developed to detect the simultaneous presence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and rotavirus in commercial oysters from the eastern coast of Thailand. Primers were designed to amplify HAV VP4 and rotavirus VP7 genes. Although excess...

A rapid and sensitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested-PCR were used to detect bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 (BVDV-1) in bull semen. Selected primers could amplify a part of the 5´UTR of the BVDV genome. A 294 bp DNA fragment was amplified and specificity of the results was confirmed by direct sequencing of the PCR product. Prior to RNA extraction, the seminal...

To examine the limitations of reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for the detection of circulating tumor cells in blood, we established a RT-PCR for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Whole blood (10(7) nucleated cells) was mixed with cells from the colon cancer cell line LS174T (concentrations ranging from 0 to 10(6) cells). RT-PCR was performed to detect CEA mRNA in blood under various conditions. He...

Extraocular dissemination is the main cause of death in patients with retinoblastoma (RB) in developing countries, and there are few molecular markers that are useful for the evaluation of minimal disseminated disease. The GD2 ganglioside is known to be expressed by RB cells that metastasize in bone marrow, and the activity of the enzyme responsible for its synthesis, GD2 synthase, can be detec...

BACKGROUND In the USA, more than 2000 volunteers have received one or more experimental HIV-1 vaccines in phase I and II clinical trials, and there have been breakthrough HIV-1 infections among participants receiving vaccine and placebo. Serological diagnosis of new HIV-1 infections in vaccine-trial participants will become increasingly complicated as more viral components are used in vaccines....

AIM To determine the frequencies of HGV and TTV infections in blood donors in Hangzhou. METHODS RT-nested PCR for HGV RNA detection and semi-nested PCR for TTV DNA detection in the sera from 203 blood donors, and nucleotide sequence analysis were performed. RESULTS Thirty-two (15.8%) and 30 (14.8%) of the 203 serum samples were positive for HGV RNA and TTV DNA, respectively. And 5 (2.5%) of...

Laboratory testing for dengue virus is used to confirm the diagnosis of dengue virus infection and to differentiate dengue from other febrile tropical illnesses. There are few data on the clinical use of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for diagnosis of dengue virus infection. We prospectively evaluated 121 consecutive patients with possible dengue who had samples submit...