Evaluation of a fluorogenic real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method for the specific detection of all known serotypes of porcine teschoviruses.

Performance of a real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction method for the rapid, simple and reliable detection of porcine teschovirus (PTV) was assessed. The method was based on the use of a set of oligonucleotides consisting of two specific primers and a fluorogenic TaqMan-MGB probe. Reverse transcription and PCR reactions were performed sequentially in one step. As a result the whole procedure was simple and rapid, taking less than 3h for completion. The method reacted in a dose-dependent manner with prototype strains for the eleven known PTV serotypes (PTV1-11), with higher analytical sensitivity than other gel-based RT-PCR methods described, which were performed in parallel to allow for a comparison. The assay did not cross-react with other related viruses or porcine viruses tested. The diagnostic performance of the method was analyzed using a panel of field samples consisting of pig fecal and pig slurry samples. As a conclusion, this technique is adequate and convenient for porcine teschovirus detection, both for diagnosis as well as in environmental investigations.