Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Molecular Methods Compared for Quantitative Detection of Epstein-Barr Virus

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 31 May 2016
Quantitative detection of Epstein-Barr virus by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become standard of care in the management of immunocompromised patients and is integral to their treatment.

The performance characteristics of four real-time assays, three that use different analyte specific reagent (ASRs) and one that uses laboratory-developed reagents, have been compared with one another for the detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in whole blood.

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis, TN, USA) seeded whole blood specimens with EBV, which were used to determine quantitative linearity, analytical measurement range, lower limit of detection, and coefficient of variation (CV) for each assay. Retrospective testing of 198 clinical samples was performed in parallel with all methods; results were compared to determine relative quantitative and qualitative performance.

The ASRs used in the study were produced by Focus Diagnostics (Cypress, CA, USA), Luminex Corporation (Austin, TX, USA), and ELITechGroup (Bothell, WA, USA). The modified laboratory diagnostic test (LDT) was used with the QX100 ddPCR system (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA) for droplet digital (ddPCR) amplification.

The investigators found that all the assays showed similar performance with no significant difference was found in limit of detection (3.12–3.49 log10 copies/mL). A strong qualitative correlation was seen with all assays that used clinical samples with positive detection rates of 89.5% to 95.8%. Quantitative correlation of clinical samples across assays was also seen in pairwise regression analysis. Normalizing clinical sample results to IU/mL did not alter the quantitative correlation between assays.

The team notes that the Focus ASR reagents can be stored at 4 °C after the first thaw, saving time for future test preparation. The latter assay runs on a 96-well disk in a small volume, and the PCR can be performed in less than an hour, using the 3M Integrated Cycler. However, great attention is needed to load the disk. The other three methods use 96-well plates, and the PCRs were run on an Applied Biosystem sequence detection system 7500, but it could be run on other systems that accept 96-well plates.

The authors concluded that quantitative EBV detection by real-time PCR can be performed over a wide linear dynamic range, using three different commercially available reagents and laboratory-developed methods. EBV was detected with comparable sensitivity and quantitative correlation for all assays. The study was published online on May 22, 2016, in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.

Related Links:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Focus Diagnostics
Luminex
ELITechGroup
Bio-Rad

Gold Member
Fully Automated Cell Density/Viability Analyzer
BioProfile FAST CDV
Verification Panels for Assay Development & QC
Seroconversion Panels
New
Troponin I Test
Quidel Triage Troponin I Test
New
Piezoelectric Micropump
Disc Pump
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get complete access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: Researcher Kanta Horie places a sample in a mass spectrometer that measures protein levels in blood plasma and other fluids (Photo courtesy of WashU Medicine)

Highly Accurate Blood Test Diagnoses Alzheimer’s and Measures Dementia Progression

Several blood tests are currently available to assist doctors in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease in individuals experiencing cognitive symptoms. However, these tests do not provide insights into the clinical... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The findings were based on patients from the ADAURA clinical trial of the targeted therapy osimertinib for patients with NSCLC with EGFR-activated mutations (Photo courtesy of YSM Multimedia Team)

Post-Treatment Blood Test Could Inform Future Cancer Therapy Decisions

In the ongoing advancement of personalized medicine, a new study has provided evidence supporting the use of a tool that detects cancer-derived molecules in the blood of lung cancer patients years after... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.