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Updated: Apr 25, 2026
Evaluation of a Universal Nested Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Detection of Lyssaviruses
Published on: May 2, 2019
Detection and surveillance of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus using real-time RT-PCR. II. Diagnostic evaluation of
Janet V Warg1, Travis Clement, Emily R Cornwell
1Diagnostic Virology Laboratory, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, VS, APHIS, USDA, Ames, Iowa 50010, USA.
Abstract:
Two real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assays under consideration for deployment to multiple testing laboratories across the USA were evaluated for diagnostic sensitivity and specificity on tissue homogenates obtained from natural and experimental viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS)-infected fish. Estimates for diagnostic specificity using virus isolation as the reference method were similar between laboratories regardless of the assay. Diagnostic sensitivity estimates of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.95, 0.97) for Jonstrup et al. (2013)'s assay (J Fish Dis 36:9-23) exceeded the diagnostic sensitivity of 0.85 (95% CI: 0.83, 0.87) for Phelps et al. (2012)'s assay (J Aquat Anim Health 24:238-243). The Jonstrup rRT-PCR assay is robust as demonstrated by high sensitivity and specificity estimates across laboratories and can be used as a valuable tool for targeted surveillance and for testing of suspect VHSV samples.
