Development of a One-Step SYBR Green I Real-Time RT-PCR Assay for the Detection and Quantitation of Araraquara and Rio Mamore Hantavirus

Hantaviruses are members of the family Bunyaviridaeandare an emergingcause of diseaseworldwidewithhighlethalityin the Americas. In Brazil, thediagnosis forhantaviruses is basedonimmunologictechniquesassociatedwithconventionalRT-PCR.Anovelone-stepSYBRGreenreal-timeRT-PCRwasdevelopedfor the detectionandquantitationofAraraquarahantavirus(ARAV)and Rio Mamore hantavirus (RIOMV). Thedetectionlimitof assay was 10copies/µLofRNA in vitro transcribed of segment S. The specificity of assay was evaluatedbymeltingcurveanalysis, which showed thattheAraraquaravirusamplifiedproductgenerate dameltpeak at80.83±0.89°C without generating primer-dimersornon-specificproducts.The assay was more sensitive than conventional RT-PCR and we detected two samples undetected by conventional RT-PCR. The one-step SYBR Green real-time quantitative RT-PCR is specific, sensible and reproducible, which makes it a powerful tool in both diagnostic applications and general research of ARAVand RIOMVand possibly other Brazilian hantaviruses