Novel strand-specific qPCR assay elucidates differences in viral replication kinetics between different strains of avian reovirus

Avian reovirus (ARVs) is a pathogen of poultry and wild birds that have become a significant source of disruption in the poultry industry in recent years. Herein, we detail the validation of a new qPCR assay that quantitates only the negative-sense portion of the ARV genome, which allows for the accurate quantification of viral genomes even in the presence of viral gene expression. This assay will enable researchers to precisely quantitate the ARV genome without the overestimates provided by traditional qPCR methods.