C. Ramelow et al., DETECTION OF TICK-BORNE ENCEPHALITIS-VIRUS RNA IN TICKS (IXODES-RICINUS) BY THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION, Journal of virological methods, 45(1), 1993, pp. 115-119
A polymerase chain reaction for the detection of tick-borne encephalit
is virus (TBEV) RNA in ticks was developed. Two pairs of primers for n
ested PCR were selected from the 5'-NCR and the 5'-terminus of the C p
rotein coding region, which are highly conserved among the TBEV isolat
es sequenced so far. The sensitivity of the nested PCR was tested by d
ilution experiments of a TBEV positive brain suspension. The specifici
ty of the PCR products was confirmed by Southern blotting. In a pilot
study, 60 homogenates of 7200 ticks (I. ricinus) were examined by PCR.
Two homogenates were found positive. The PCR for TBEV RNA appears to
be a valuable method to define endemic areas of TBE.