Generic PCR

A process for simultaneously amplifying at least a first and a second target nucleic acid that may be present in a sample, the process comprising the steps of:

• a) contacting the target nucleic acids from the sample with one or more amplification reagents comprising a polymerase with reverse transcriptase activity, in at least two reaction vessels, wherein at least a first reaction vessel comprises at least the first target nucleic acid and at least a second reaction vessel comprises at least the second target nucleic acid, and wherein the second target nucleic acid is absent from the first reaction vessel;
• b) incubating in the reaction vessels the target nucleic acids with the one or more amplification reagents for a period of time, under conditions suitable for transcription of RNA by the polymerase with reverse transcriptase activity to occur, wherein the incubation of the polymerase with reverse transcriptase activity comprises the following steps in sequence:
• a first temperature of 55° C., followed by a second temperature of 60° C., followed by a third temperature of 65° C.;
• and
• c) incubating in the reaction vessels the target nucleic acids with the one or more amplification reagents for a period of time, under conditions sufficient for an amplification reaction indicative of the presence or absence of the first and second target nucleic acid to occur, wherein the conditions for transcription and amplification in steps a) to c) are identical for the at least first and second target nucleic acids.