Using improved Non Ri -Maprec assay to detect virulence mutations in poliomyelitis Vaccine viruses: advantages over rct40 test

Abstract

Mutant analysis by polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme cleavage (MAPREC) has been developed by Chumakov et al. for poliovirus to determine quantitatively the presence of genomic changes in particular nucleotide sequences that lead to virulence phenotypes of oral poliomyelitis vaccine (OPV or live attenuated vaccine) [1]. Afterwards, this RI (radioisotope) MAPREC was developed to non RI – MAPREC by Japan Poliomyelitis Research Institute in 1998 to compensate for some disadvantages of RI-MAPREC [2]. This test was highly recommended for laboratories to assess the safety of their vaccine products. At Poliovac, the rct40 test was used to be considered a major tool for vaccine products examination. In this research, we have improved the non RI MAPREC test to apply it well with practical conditions in our laboratory and compared this test to the usual rct40 test to point out its great advantages.