Embodiments of the invention include methods of detecting one or more RNA by reverse transcribing one or more RNA target using one or more reverse transcription primer comprising in a 5′ to 3′ direction (i) a primer segment, (ii) a probe segment distinct from the primer segment, and (iii) a 3′ target specific segment that anneals to a RNA target; amplifying one or more RNA from the reverse transcription reaction using a first amplification primer that anneals to the 3′ end of a reverse transcribed RNA target and a second primer that anneals to a sequence complementary to the primer segment; and detecting amplification of a target nucleic acid.