Rapid RT-PCR amplification of full-length poliovirus genomes allows rapid discrimination between wild-type and recombinant vaccine-derived polioviruses.

Poliomyelitis outbreaks in areas that were free for a long time of wild-type polioviruses have been reported. Characterization at nucleotide level of the causative agents showed that the isolated viruses were recombinant oral polio vaccine (OPV)-derived polioviruses. To allow rapid identification and detailed analysis of such recombinant polioviruses, a robust full-length reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) was developed using SuperScript II (RT) and expand (PCR). Without extensive purification, it was possible to amplify and characterize the full-length genomes of all selected vaccine, wild-type, and recombinant vaccine-derived polioviruses within a week. Endonuclease nuclease analysis (SpeI) of the full-length amplicons allowed easy discrimination between recombinant and non-recombinant polioviruses. Furthermore, sequence analysis of cloned full-length amplicons of a recombinant vaccine-derived poliovirus strain showed that the quasi-species nature of a viral stock is preserved during the RT-PCR procedure. This robust and rapid RT-PCR method will allow rapid characterization of (recombinant) poliovirus strains in case of a local poliomyelitis outbreak, and will help to assess the risk of the appearance of such strains after wild-type poliovirus has been eradicated globally.