biostudies-literatureGraham RINatural Environment Research CouncilBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council746-59https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC4598664biostudies-literatureUnknown6(3)Many pathogens and parasites are present in host individuals and populations without any obvious signs of disease. This is particularly true for baculoviruses infecting lepidopteran hosts, where studies have shown that covert persistent viral infections are almost ubiquitous in many species. To date, the infection intensity of covert viruses has rarely been quantified. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of a covert baculovirus infection within the lepidopteran crop pest Spodoptera exempta. A real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) procedure using a 5' nuclease hydrolysis (TaqMan) probe was developed for specific detection and quantification of Spodoptera exempta nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpexNPV). The qPCR assay indicated that covert baculovirus dynamics varied consideInsectsDevelopment of a Real-Time qPCR Assay for Quantification of Covert Baculovirus Infections in a Major African Crop Pest.PMC4598664BB/F004311/1ceh020002Tummala YGrzywacz DShirras ARhodes GGraham RIWilson KCory JSfalseDevelopment of a Real-Time qPCR Assay for Quantification of Covert Baculovirus Infections in a Major African Crop Pest.Many pathogens and parasites are present in host individuals and populations without any obvious signs of disease. This is particularly true for baculoviruses infecting lepidopteran hosts, where studies have shown that covert persistent viral infections are almost ubiquitous in many species. To date, the infection intensity of covert viruses has rarely been quantified. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of a covert baculovirus infection within the lepidopteran crop pest Spodoptera exempta. A real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) procedure using a 5' nuclease hydrolysis (TaqMan) probe was developed for specific detection and quantification of Spodoptera exempta nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpexNPV). The qPCR assay indicated that covert baculovirus dynamics varied conside2015-01-01T00:00:00Z2015 Aug2026-05-03T07:44:21.385Z2019-03-27T01:59:45ZS-EPMC45986642646341410.3390/insects6030746