Smith L M, Brown S R, Howes K, McLeod S, Arshad S S, Barron G S, Venugopal K, McKay J C, Payne L N
Institute for Animal Health, Compton, Berkshire, UK.
Virus Res. 1998 Mar;54(1):87-98. doi: 10.1016/s0168-1702(98)00022-7.
Subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV) is a recently identified avian retrovirus associated with myeloid leukosis in meat-type chickens. The env gene of the HPRS-103 strain of ALV, the prototype of this subgroup, differs considerably from that of other subgroups, but shows close homology to the env-like sequences of members of the EAV family of endogenous retroviruses. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests using two sets of primers were developed for the specific detection of the members of this new subgroup along with another pair of primers for detecting other subgroup viruses. The specificity and sensitivity of this detection system was compared with the conventional detection methods in experimentally and naturally infected samples. The use of PCR was found to be rapid, specific and more sensitive than the conventional diagnostic tests for the detection of ALV. Moreover, the two subgroup J ALV-specific PCR tests were found to be capable of differentiating between 'prototype-like' viruses and more recent isolates which show extensive antigenic and sequence variations. The use of this test as a rapid and sensitive method of detection of viruses in epidemiological studies and eradication programs is discussed.
J亚群禽白血病病毒(ALV)是最近发现的一种与肉用型鸡骨髓性白血病相关的禽逆转录病毒。该亚群的原型HPRS-103株ALV的env基因与其他亚群有很大差异,但与内源性逆转录病毒EAV家族成员的env样序列有密切同源性。开发了使用两组引物的聚合酶链反应(PCR)试验,用于特异性检测这个新亚群的成员,同时还有另一对引物用于检测其他亚群病毒。在实验感染和自然感染的样本中,将该检测系统的特异性和敏感性与传统检测方法进行了比较。发现PCR检测ALV比传统诊断试验快速、特异且更灵敏。此外,发现两种J亚群ALV特异性PCR试验能够区分“原型样”病毒和显示出广泛抗原和序列变异的较新分离株。讨论了将该试验用作流行病学研究和根除计划中快速灵敏检测病毒方法的用途。