Patent ID: 7960106

Claim:
A method for simultaneously detecting the presence or absence of Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis and Francisella tularensis in a sample, the method comprising: obtaining DNA from the sample; performing a single real time PCR assay run using species-specific Taqman MGB probes and species-specific primers; and detecting fluorescence of the probes; wherein: the forward and reverse primers for B. anthracis have the sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2, respectively, derived from the pagA gene and SEQ ID NOS: 4 and 5, respectively, derived from the capB gene, the forward and reverse primers for Y. pestis have the sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 7 and 8, respectively, derived from the pla gene, the forward and reverse primers for F. tularensis have the sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 10 and 11, respectively, derived from the 23 kDa gene, the concentrations of said forward primers and said reverse primers are optimized in the range of 50-900 nM under the same temperature parameters, the specific Taqman MGB probe comprises a sequence selected from the group of full-length sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOS: 3, 6, 9, and 12.