Abstract
In this paper the design and use of a semi-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay (RT-PCR) for feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) provirus is described. Its performance is evaluated against established methods of FeLV diagnosis, including virus isolation and enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) in a population of naturally infected cats. The RT-PCR assay is found to have both a high sensitivity (0.92) and specificity (0.99) when examined by expectation maximisation methods and is also able to detect a large number of cats with low FeLV proviral loads that were negative by other conventional test methods.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cats
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Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
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Leukemia Virus, Feline / genetics*
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Leukemia Virus, Feline / isolation & purification*
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Leukemia, Feline / diagnosis*
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Leukemia, Feline / virology*
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Proviruses / isolation & purification
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RNA, Viral / genetics*
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RNA, Viral / isolation & purification*
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Retroviridae Proteins / blood
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Retroviridae Proteins / isolation & purification
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary*
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Sensitivity and Specificity
Substances
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RNA, Viral
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Retroviridae Proteins