Project Number: 5410-32000-015-06
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 01, 2008
End Date: Sep 30, 2009

Objective:
The objective of this cooperative research is to develop a real-time RT-PCR assay that differentiates candidate attenuated Rift Valley fever (RVF) vaccine RNA from wild-type (virulent) RVF vaccine RNA. The second objective is to evaluate new diagnostic tests that would facilitate a differentiating infected form vaccinated animals (DIVA) control strategy.

Approach:
Published real-time RT-PCR assays will be evaluated and modified to a multiplex assay that differentiates RNA infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). If the published assays cannot be multiplexed or prove unreliable then new PCR signatures will be developed. Efforts are underway to establish a reference sample collection of veterinary RVF diagnostic specimens that will be used to validate these assays. In addtion, the ARS is developing new diagnostic reagents are being generated because the availability of current reagents is limited and commercially available only from foreign countries. This includes E ELISA and immunohistochemistry assays for detection antibodies to RVF and RVF antigens. The reference sample collection will be used to evaluate these immunodiagnostic assays.