Vaccinia virus

Test code: S0153 - Ultrasensitive detection of vaccinia virus by real time PCR

Vaccinia virus is a large, complex, enveloped virus belonging to the Poxvirus family. The virus contains a large, linear, double-stranded DNA genome with size close to 190 kb in length, which may encode for more than 250 genes. Members of the Poxvirus family are unique because they replicate only in the cytoplasmic region of the host cell and not in the nuclear region. Thus, the viral genome must be large enough to code for various proteins needed for viral DNA replication and gene transcription.

People infected with vaccinia virus usually develop very mild or subclinical symptoms. A few infected people may develop mild rash and fever. Immune responses generated from vaccinia infection can protect the infected person against subsequent smallpox infection due to the high degree of similarity between the two viruses. Vaccinia virus is often used as a live-virus vaccine against smallpox. However, certain complications and/or vaccine adverse effects occasionally arise from the use of this vaccine, especially in people whose immune systems are compromised.

Detection of vaccinia virus can be achieved by the shell vial culture method, but that method requires a lengthy incubation period and is not very sensitive. However, molecular detection by PCR is highly sensitive, specific and rapid (Fedorko et al., 2005).

Utilities:                         

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Identify vaccinia virus carriers
• Screen research materials for the presence of vaccinia virus
• Help ensure that animal groups are free of vaccinia virus
• Early prevention of spread of the virus among animals
• Minimize human exposure to the virus
• Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from susceptible animals

References:
Fedorko, D.P., Preuss, J.C., Fahle, G.A., Li L, Fischer, S.H., Hohman, P. and Cohen, J.I. (2005) Comparison of methods for detection of vaccinia virus in patient specimens. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43:4602–4606.

Specimen requirements: 0.2 ml cell culture, or 0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or lesion swab, or 0.2 ml fresh, frozen or preserved tissue.

Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative real time PCR

Normal range: Nondetected