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Updated: May 21, 2026
Plaque Assay for Murine Norovirus
Published on: August 22, 2012
Using propidium monoazide to distinguish between viable and nonviable bacteria, MS2 and murine norovirus
1Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Aims:
The ability to distinguish between viable and/or infectious micro-organisms and inactivated cells is extremely important for correctly performing microbial risk assessments. In this study, we evaluated whether propidium monoazide (PMA)-qPCR could distinguish between viable and nonviable bacteria and viruses.
Methods And Results:
A PMA-qPCR combined assay was applied to viable and inactivated bacteria (Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis) and viruses (MS2 and murine norovirus [MNV]). PMA, a DNA-intercalating agent, in combination with PCR was better able to distinguish between viable and nonviable bacteria and viruses than conventional PCR.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that a combined PMA-qPCR assay can be used to measure the viability of bacterial cells and bacteriophage MS2, but not MNV.
Significance And Impact Of The Study:
PMA-qPCR could potentially be used to measure the viability of some micro-organisms, including virus. However, a thorough evaluation should be performed prior to measuring the viability of micro-organisms by PMA-qPCR in a quantitative way.
