The sensitivity and specificity of a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay for the avian pneumovirus (Colorado strain)

A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for the de tection of avian pneumovirus (APV), Colorado strain (US/CO), was evaluated for sensitivity and specificity. The single-tube RT-PCR assay utilized prim ers developed from the matrix (M) gene sequence of the US/CO APV. The RT-PC R amplified the US/CO APV but did not amplify other pneumoviruses, includin g the avian pneumoviruses subgroups A and B. The RT-PCR was capable of dete cting between 10(0.25) mean tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) and 10(- 0.44) TCID50 of the US/CO APV. These results have demonstrated that the sin gle-tube RT-PCR assay is a specific and sensitive assay for the detection o f US/CO APV.