Nucleic acid amplification controls

A method for making a full process positive control material for detection of virus in biological samples comprising:

• a) purifying an intact virus from a source;
• b) exposing the purified intact virus to an aldehyde at a temperature and for a time such that one or more surface proteins are irreversibly modified while leaving the nuclear components substantially intact thereby rendering the purified intact virus non-pathogenic and wherein nucleic acids of the purified intact virus are amenable to amplification;
• and
• c) identifying that the purified intact virus can be used as a full process positive control by confirming absence of active virus and an ability of viral nucleic acids in the purified intact virus to be amplified.