Rapid Detection of Cyprinid Herpesvirus 3 in Latently Infected Koi by Recombinase Polymerase Amplification

Since the emergence of cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3), outbreaks have been devastating to Common Carp Cyprinus carpio and koi (a variant of Common Carp), leading to high economic losses. Current diagnostics for detecting CyHV-3 are limited in sensitivity and are further complicated by latency. Here we describe the detection of CyHV-3 by recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). The RPA assay can detect as low as 10 copies of the CyHV-3 genome by an isothermal reaction and yields results in approximately 20 min. Using the RPA assay, the CyHV-3 genome can be detected in the total DNA of white blood cells isolated from koi latently infected with CyHV-3, while less than 10% of the latently infected koi can be detected by a real-time PCR assay in the total DNA of white blood cells. In addition, RPA products can be detected in a lateral flow device that is cheap and fast and can be used outside of the diagnostic lab. The RPA assay and lateral flow device provide for the rapid, sensitive, and specific amplification of CyHV-3 that with future modifications for field use and validation could lead to enhanced surveillance and early diagnosis of CyHV-3 in the laboratory and field. Received September 14, 2015; accepted April 9, 2016.