Open AccessDetection of Norwalk virus in the UK by the polymerase chain reaction
Author(s) -
Willcocks Margaret M.,
Silcock John G.,
Carter Michael J.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1993.tb06415.x
Subject(s) - virology , polymerase chain reaction , norwalk virus , polymerase , virus , biology , inverse polymerase chain reaction , microbiology and biotechnology , recombinase polymerase amplification , dna , nested polymerase chain reaction , gene , genetics , norovirus
We have developed a polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Norwalk virus using the published sequence of the virus RNA dependent RNA polymerase gene and have used this to clone and sequence this region of a virus from a UK outbreak. We have applied this method to a panel of UK Norwalk‐like viruses using both Tet‐z and Taq DNA polymerases and found that amplification produces a multiplicity of bands from stool samples. However, combination with Southern blotting. Taq polymerase amplification detected virus in 13 of a panel of 30 clinical samples known to contain these viruses and also detected astroviruses in a mixed infection. Amplification using Tet‐z DNA polymerase was less efficient (6/30) and detected predominantly viruses typed as UK type 2 by solid phase immune electron microscopy.