The National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) said it developed Norovirus standard positive control gene and obtained a patent to raise credibility of analyzing Norovirus in environmental samples including underground water and find out causes of pollution promptly.
Norovirus detection is only possible by a gene analysis. However, using the existing positive control, it is impossible to check when a cross-contamination like false-positive is occurred. Thus, NIBR developed standard positive control of about 940bp, whose size is different from that of Norovirus gene (about 335bp) in environmental samples so that Norovirus can be analyzed in a more accurate way. * RT-PCR: Continuously duplicating a small amount of gene in samples and amplifying them in large quantities.
In addition, as the developed standard positive control enables Norovirus and hepatitis virus to be analyzed simultaneously, it can be used for analyzing hepatitis A-virus. The National Institute of Environmental Research plans to distribute the standard positive control to a four rivers water environment institute and Norovirus testing institutes from this year and also to universities and the public by stages.
Source: Apec-vc
