METHOD FOR DETECTION OF VIRAL RNA

摘要

There is disclosed a process for detecting an RNA virus in a sample, e.g. clinical, suspected of containing the virus. The process comprises treating the sample with heat for denaturing protein coating the RNA in the presence of a non-proteinaceous RNase enzyme inhibitor such as diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC). RNA freed from the protein coat is protected from destructive RNase activity upon cooling of the sample by addition of a proteinaceous RNase inhibitor, such as RNadeTM or RNasinTM when the temperature of the sample is below the denaturation temperature for the inhibitor. RNA can then be detected, for example by reverse transcription (RT) to form cDNA and then applying the polymerase chain reaction method to amplify the amount of cDNA to detectable levels. Detection of cDNA so amplified confirms the presence of RNA virus in the initial clinical sample.