Patent ID: 7718402

Claim:
A method for verifying the efficiency of sample preparation of test sample nucleic acids and the performance of nucleic acid amplification and detection practiced on a test sample after its preparation, said method comprising: (i) providing a universal internal control reagent comprising a bacterial spore, said internal control reagent having at least one internal control (IC) nucleic acid target sequence therein, wherein said internal control reagent is an internal control for the release, amplification, and detection of a nucleic acid from said test sample; (ii) mixing said internal control reagent and said test sample; (iii) submitting said test sample mixed with said internal control reagent to a sample preparation procedure in order to release both said nucleic acid from said test sample and said IC nucleic acid target sequence from said internal control reagent; and (iv) submitting a product from said sample preparation procedure to amplification and detection for the amplification and detection of both said IC nucleic acid target sequence and said nucleic acid of the test sample, wherein detection of said IC nucleic acid target sequence is indicative of both efficient sample preparation and performance of nucleic acid amplification.