Patent ID: 8759003

Claim:
A method of establishing whether a biological sample contains WNV (West Nile virus), said method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining nucleic acids from the biological sample; (b) performing an in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction that comprises nucleic acids obtained in step (a) as templates, whereby a nucleic acid strand is synthesized if nucleic acids obtained in step (a) comprise WNV nucleic acids, wherein one end of said nucleic acid strand terminates with the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO:74 or the complement thereof, allowing for substitution of RNA and DNA equivalent bases, wherein said in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction comprises an oligonucleotide that is up to 60 nucleotides in length and comprises the base sequence of SEQ ID NO:116 or the complement thereof, and wherein a nucleic acid duplex comprising said nucleic acid strand and said oligonucleotide is formed by complementary base pairing in said in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction if said nucleic acid strand was synthesized; (c) determining whether said nucleic acid duplex formed in said in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction; and (d) establishing either that, (i) the biological sample contains WNV if said nucleic acid duplex is determined to have formed in said in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction, or (ii) the biological sample does not contain detectable amounts of WNV if said nucleic acid duplex is not determined to have formed in said in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction.