Oligonucleotides may be universal primers and probes. Method may use these oligonucleotides for detecting or detecting and quantifying a nucleic acid acting as a universal internal control. A primer pair includes a first primer having SEQ ID NO: 1 or a complement thereof and a second primer having SEQ ID NO: 2 or a complement thereof. A probe includes SEQ ID NO: 3 or a complement thereof, preferably wherein each of the nucleotides in position 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of SEQ ID NO: 3 is replaced with a corresponding locked nucleic acid (LNA) unit (SEQ ID NO: 4).