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Development of a Triplex PCR Assay for Detection of H7N9 Subtype Avian Influenza Virus

LUO Si-si, XIE Zhi-xun, LIU Jia-bo, DENG Xian-wen, XIE Zhi-qin, PANG Yao-shan, XIE Li-ji, FAN Qing   

  1. (Guangxi Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccines and New Technology, Guangxi Veterinary Research Institute, Nanning 530001,China)
  • Received:2013-06-28 Online:2014-02-20 Published:2014-03-27

Abstract: In order to develop a rapid and simultaneous assay for H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus (AIV), three pairs of specific primers were designed according to the conserved sequences of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of H7 subtype AIV, the neuramidinase (NA) gene of N9 subtype AIV, and the matix (M) gene of all subtypes AIV. The reaction conditions were optimized, and the specificity and sensitivity of this method were evaluated to develop a triplex PCR assay. It was shown that H7N9 subtype AIV could be amplified into three specific bands by this triplex PCR, the lengths of these bands were 330 (H7 AIV), 207 (N9 AIV) and 632 bp (all AIV), respectively. Samples containing H7 or N9 subtype AIV could be amplified into two specific bands, which were 330 and 632, 207 and 632 bp, respectively. Samples containing other subtypes AIV could be amplified into a 632 bp specific band. No specific band was amplified from other avian pathogenic virus. Sensitivity test results showed that as low as 103 copies/μL H7N9 subtype AIV could be detected. This triplex PCR could simultaneously diagnose H7N9 subtype AIV, single H7 subtype AIV, single N9 subtype AIV and other subtype AIV in one tube. This assay was a rapid, specific and sensitive method for the detection of H7N9 subtype AIV. It could be applied in rapid diagnosis for clinical samples, and also provided a technical support to prevent and control H7N9 subtype AIV.

Key words: avian influenza virus; H7N9 subtype; triplex PCR