Schutten M., Peters D., Back N.K.T., Beld M., Beuselinck K., Foulongne V., Geretti A.-M., Pandiani L., Tiemann C., Niesters H.G.M.
Department of Virology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands; InnovirGroup of Companies, Gardenview 2047, South Africa; Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory of Virology, Montpellier University Hospital, 80 Ave. A. Fliche, 34295 Montpellier, France; Department of Virology, Royal Free Hospital, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom; Laboratoires Marcel Mérieux, BP 7322, 69357 Lyon Cedex 07, France; LABCON-OWL, Labor Dr. Krone und Partner, Herford, Germany; Department of Virology, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Netherlands
Schutten, M., Department of Virology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands, Department of Virology, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Netherlands; Peters, D., InnovirGroup of Companies, Gardenview 2047, South Africa; Back, N.K.T., Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Beld, M., Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Beuselinck, K., Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Foulongne, V., Laboratory of Virology, Montpellier University Hospital, 80 Ave. A. Fliche, 34295 Montpellier, France; Geretti, A.-M., Department of Virology, Royal Free Hospital, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom; Pandiani, L., Laboratoires Marcel Mérieux, BP 7322, 69357 Lyon Cedex 07, France; Tiemann, C., LABCON-OWL, Labor Dr. Krone und Partner, Herford, Germany; Niesters, H.G.M., Department of Virology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
The analytical performances of the new Abbott RealTime hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 viral load assays were compared at nine laboratories with different competitor assays. These included the Abbott LcX, Bayer Versant bDNA, Roche COBAS Amplicor, and Roche COBAS TaqMan assays. Two different protocols used during the testing period with and without a pre-m1000 RNA isolation spin were compared. The difference proved to be nonsignificant. A uracil-N-glycosylase (UNG) contamination control option in the HCV test for previous Roche COBAS Amplicor users was evaluated. It proved to decrease amplicon carryover by 100-fold independent of the amplicon input concentration. The protocol including UNG proved to overcome problems with false-positive negative controls. Comparison with other assays revealed only minor differences. The largest difference was observed between the Abbott HCV RealTime assay and the Roche COBAS Amplicor HCV Monitor version 2.0 assay. Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.