Application of real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to the detection the matrix, H5 and H7 genes of avian influenza viruses in field samples from South Korea.

Background The rapid and accurate identification of the H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza (AI) virus is an important step for the control and eradication of highly pathogenic AI outbreaks and for the surveillance of AI viruses that have the potential to undergo changes in pathogenicity in poultry and wild birds. Currently, real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) is routinely used for the rapid detection of the H5 and H7 genes, but misidentification is frequent for emergent isolates and viruses isolated from diverse regions due to the high sequence variation among AI viruses.