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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Pan-lyssavirus Real Time RT-PCR for Rabies Diagnosis
Published on: July 10, 2019
Real-time PCR detection of parapoxvirus DNA
Andreas Nitsche1, Mathias Büttner, Sonja Wilhelm
1Robert Koch-Institut, Zentrum für Biologische Sicherheit 1, Berlin, Germany. nitschea@rki.de
Background:
Detection of parapoxviruses is important in various animals as well as in humans as zoonotic infections. Reliable detection of parapoxviruses is fundamental for the exclusion of other rash-causing illnesses, for both veterinarians and medical practitioners. To date, however, no real-time PCR assay for the detection of parapoxviruses has been reported.
Methods:
A minor groove binder-based quantitative real-time PCR assay targeting the B2L gene of parapoxviruses was developed on the ABI Prism and the LightCycler platforms.
Results:
The real-time PCR assay successfully amplified DNA fragments from a total of 41 parapoxvirus strains and isolates representing the species orf virus, bovine papular stomatitis virus, pseudocowpoxvirus, and sealpoxvirus. Probit analysis gave a limit of detection of 4.7 copies per assay (95% confidence interval, 3.7-6.8 copies per reaction). Scabs contain a sufficient amount of parapoxvirus DNA and can therefore be used for PCR without any DNA preparation step. No cross-reactivity to human, bovine, or sheep genomic DNA or other DNA viruses, including orthopoxviruses, molluscum contagiosum viruses, and yaba-like disease viruses, was observed.
Conclusion:
The presented assay is suitable for the detection of parapoxvirus infections in clinical material of human and animal origin.
