Real-Time Norovirus Detector
December 29, 2015

Laboratory: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Technology:Real-time RT-PCR assay for detection of noroviruses
Opportunity: Available for licensing (CDC technology transfer opportunities coordinated by the NIH Office of Technology Transfer)
Details: CDC scientists have developed aspecific and sensitive TaqMan-based real-time (rt) RT-PCR assay to detectnoroviruses in clinical and environmental specimens. This assay can be implemented to rapidly detect and distinguish norovirus strains from genogroups I and II, which are responsible for the majority of human infections. Additionally, the assay is multiplexed with an internal extraction control virus (coliphage MS2) to validate the results of the assay. Since the virus cannot be grown in cell cultures and enzyme immunoassays lack the necessary sensitivity, this technology is particularly useful.
Benefits:
- Internally controlled, multiplexed assayiscapable of rapid, accurate identification of norovirus genogroups responsible for human illness.
- Superior sensitivity compared with immunoassay detection methods.
- Development of norovirus diagnostics
- Specific rtRT-PCR assay for detecting and distinguishing the major pathogenic norovirus genogroups (I and II) within clinical and environmental samples.