Real-time reverse transcription-PCR was developed for broad detection of diverse H5 and H7 genes in Eurasian and American lineages of avian influenza viruses by using primer and probe sets containing mixed bases. The optimal use of the mixed bases allowed to minimize sequence mismatches and to broaden the gene detection spectrum without decreasing sensitivity.
(Research Team for Zoonotic Diseases)
References:
Tsukamoto K. et al. (2010) J. Clin. Microbiol. 48: 4275-4278