Analysis of Measles Virus by Real-Time PCR Method (CAT#: STEM-MB-3160-LGZ)

Introduction

Measles is a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus. Before the introduction of measles vaccine in 1963 and widespread vaccination, major epidemics occurred approximately every 2–3 years and measles caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year. <br />A real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR, or qPCR) is a laboratory technique of molecular biology based on the polymerase chain reaction(PCR). It monitors the amplification of a targeted DNA molecule during the PCR(i.e.,in real time), not at its end, as in conventional PCR.<br />Two common methods for the detection of PCR products in real-time PCR are(1)non-specific fluorescent dyes that intercalate with any double-stranded DNA and (2)sequence-specific DNA probes consisting of oligonucleotides that are labelled with a fluorescent reporter, which permits detection only after hybridization of the probe with its complementary sequence.