Detection of Human Polyomavirus DNA Using the Genome Profiling Method

BACKGROUND: In the field of forensic medicine, it is very difficult to know prior to autopsy what kind of virus has infected a body. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the potential of the genome profiling (GP) method, which was developed in the field of bioengineering, to identify viruses belonging to one species. METHOD: Two species in the same family, JC and BK viruses, were used in this study. Using plasmid samples, we compared the findings of molecular phylogenetic analysis using conventional genome sequencing with the results of cluster analysis using the random PCR-based GP method and discussed whether the GP method can be used to determine viral species. RESULTS: It was possible to distinguish these two different viral species. In addition to this, in our trial we could also detect the JC virus from a clinical sample. CONCLUSION: This method does not require special reagent sets for each viral species. Though our findings are still in the trial period, the GP method may be a simple, easy, and economical tool to detect viral species in the near future.