Use of a Digoxigenin-Labeled RNA Probe to Detect All 24 Serotypes of Bluetongue Virus in Cell Culture

Abstract

A digoxigenin-labeled RNA probe, corresponding to the section of the bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 17 genome coding for nonstructural protein-1 (NS1), was applied to noninfected cell cultures and cell cultures infected with 24 different serotypes of BTV, 2 serotypes of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus, and African horse sickness virus type 4. The probe hybridized to all cell cultures infected with the various BTV serotypes but did not hybridize to noninfected cell cultures or cell cultures infected with any of the other orbiviruses.