Detection of west nile virus nucleic acids in the viral 3′ non-coding region

1. A method of establishing whether a biological sample contains WNV (West Nile virus), the method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining nucleic acids from the biological sample;

(b) performing an in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction comprising nucleic acids obtained in step (a) as templates, and further comprising a hybridization probe labeled with one or more detectable labels selected from the group consisting of: a chemiluminescent compound; a fluorophore moiety; and a quencher moiety, wherein said hybridization probe is up to 60 nucleotides in length and comprises a base sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:104, SEQ ID NO:105, SEQ ID NO:106, SEQ ID NO:107, SEQ ID NO:108, SEQ ID NO:109, SEQ ID NO:110, SEQ ID NO:111, SEQ ID NO:112, SEQ ID NO:113, SEQ ID NO:114, SEQ ID NO:115, and SEQ ID NO:116,

whereby there is synthesized, if nucleic acids obtained in step (a) comprise WNV nucleic acids, an amplification product terminating at one end with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:74 or the complement thereof, allowing for RNA and DNA equivalent bases, and

wherein there is formed by complementary base pairing, if nucleic acids obtained in step (a) comprise WNV nucleic acids, a nucleic acid duplex comprising the hybridization probe and a strand of the amplification product synthesized in step (b);

(c) determining whether the nucleic acid duplex formed in the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction; and

(d) establishing either that,

(i) the biological sample contains WNV if the nucleic acid duplex is determined to have formed in the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction, or

(ii) the biological sample does not contain detectable amounts of WNV if the nucleic acid duplex is not determined to have formed in the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the strand of the amplification product that is included in the nucleic acid duplex terminates at one end with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:74, but not the complement thereof, allowing for RNA and DNA equivalent bases.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the complement of SEQ ID NO:74 is a template for enzymatic synthesis of nucleic acid in the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction of step (b), and wherein the strand of the amplification product that is included in the nucleic acid duplex of step (b) comprises the base uracil.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the biological sample comprises a product of blood.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction in step (b) comprises one enzyme that provides both reverse transcriptase and DNA polymerase activities, and does not comprise independent DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase enzymes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the complement of SEQ ID NO:74 is a template for enzymatic synthesis of nucleic acid in the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction of step (b), and wherein the strand of the amplification product that is included in the nucleic acid duplex of step (b) comprises the base uracil.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein step (c) comprises determining, while the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction is occurring, whether the nucleic acid duplex formed.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein step (c) further comprises performing fluorimetry to detect any of an optical signal that indicates formation of the nucleic acid duplex.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample comprises a product of blood.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the product of blood is selected from the group consisting of a plasma sample, and a serum sample.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction in step (b) comprises one enzyme that provides both reverse transcriptase and DNA polymerase activities, and does not comprise independent DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase enzymes.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein step (c) comprises determining, while the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction is occurring, whether the nucleic acid duplex formed.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein step (c) further comprises performing fluorimetry to detect any of an optical signal that indicates formation of the nucleic acid duplex.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the hybridization probe is a molecular beacon.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (a) comprises capturing nucleic acids onto magnetically attractable particles.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein step (c) comprises performing fluorimetry, while the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction is occurring, to detect any of an optical signal that indicates formation of the nucleic acid duplex.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises performing fluorimetry to detect any of an optical signal that indicates formation of the nucleic acid duplex.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises performing fluorimetry, while the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction is occurring, to detect any of an optical signal that indicates formation of the nucleic acid duplex.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the hybridization probe comprises a pair of complementary nucleic acid arms, one arm being joined to the fluorophore moiety and the other arm being joined to the quencher moiety.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises capturing nucleic acids onto magnetically attractable particles.