DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NUCLEIC-ACID PROBE FOR AVIAN REOVIRUSES

A radiolabelled probe (S4-18), corresponding to 542 base pairs of the S4 genome segment of avian reovirus (ARV), was used in dot blot hybrid ization assays. The lowest limit of purified viral RNA detected was si milar among three ARV strains and was 0.2 ng. The probe also detected nine heterologous strains of ARV RNA prepared directly from cell cultu res, indicating that it had a broad specificity. In addition, the prob e detected ARV RNA in tendon tissues of birds from commercial broiler raising farms following dot blot hybridization.