Sequence-specific, single-primer amplification and detection of PCR products for identification of hepatitis viruses.

A simple system to detect polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification products was developed. This detection method has the sensitivity and the specificity of nested primer PCR amplification or Southern blot hybridization of PCR product. Digoxigenin-labeled PCR products were hybridized with a biotinylated probe in liquid phase and captured on to microtiter wells coated with antidigoxigenin followed by detection with streptavidin-peroxidase. The sensitivity of this assay for the detection of hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus is equal to that of existing nucleic acid detection systems.