Project Number: 1940-32000-051-02
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: May 01, 2003
End Date: Apr 30, 2007

Objective:
The objectives of this cooperative research project are to: 1) Perform initial analytic validation of a real-time PCR approach to detect VSV-New Jersey and VSV-Indiana serotypes using a single tube multiplex format and 2) Design and provide armored RNA containing target sequences for VSV NJ and IN, and modified for use as an assay internal control.

Approach:
Rapid assays based on real-time detection of vesicular stomatitis virus in clinical tissues from horses, swine and cattle have been developed in ARS which are capable of detecting all major genetic lineages of VSV NJ and IN-1 respectively from the various geographical areas of the Americas. These assays will be adapted to a multiplex format capable of identifying both VSV New Jersey and VSV Indiana serotypes in a single-tube assay. The preliminary assay validation, including documentation of analytic sensitivity, analytic specificity, and analytic performance will utilize negative samples from various geographical areas of the U.S. Positive samples will consist of VSV isolates banked by the USDA ARS and APHIS laboratories, as well as field samples obtained in endemic areas of Mexico and Costa Rica.