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Tao L, Chan A, Maris A, Schmitz JE. Internationally standardized respiratory viral load testing with limited resources: A derivative-of-care calibration strategy for SARS-CoV-2. Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2024; 18:e13207. [PMID: 38268611 PMCID: PMC10805620 DOI: 10.1111/irv.13207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated that, in targeted circumstances, viral quantification within respiratory specimens can valuably inform patient management, as well as research. Nevertheless, the pandemic has illustrated concomitant challenges for obtaining high-quality (and broadly comparable) respiratory viral loads. This includes a critical need for standardization and calibration, even though the necessary resources may not always be available for emergent pathogens and non-bloodstream specimens. Methods To these ends, we describe a novel strategy for implementing quantitative SARS-CoV-2 testing with International Unit-based calibration. Earlier in the course of the pandemic-when analytic resources were far more limited-select residual SARS-CoV-2 positive specimens from routine care in our diagnostic laboratory were pooled to formulate a clinically realistic secondary standard of high volume and analyte concentration, which was cross-calibrated to the primary SARS-CoV-2 standard of the World Health Organization. Results The resultant calibrators were integrated into the original CDC RT-qPCR assay for SARS-CoV-2, whose (now broadened) performance characteristics were defined to generate a test appropriate for both clinical and research use. This test allowed for the quantification of virus in respiratory specimens down to a validated lower limit of quantification of 103.4 IU/ml. Conclusions By self-formulating calibrators from this derivative-of-care secondary standard, we successfully validated respiratory viral loads without the commercial availability (at that time) of quantitative assays or calibrators. As the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to decline-and even beyond this pathogen-this strategy may be applicable for laboratories seeking to implement viral load testing for nontraditional specimen types despite limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Tao
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and ImmunologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Allison Chan
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and ImmunologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Alex Maris
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and ImmunologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Jonathan E. Schmitz
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and ImmunologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
- Department of UrologyVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and InflammationVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
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Govind S, Fritzsche M, Jenkins A, Cleveland MH, Vallone PM, Almond N, Morris C, Berry N. Deep Sequencing and Molecular Characterisation of BK Virus and JC Virus WHO International Reference Materials for Clinical Diagnostic Use. Viruses 2023; 15:1289. [PMID: 37376589 DOI: 10.3390/v15061289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reactivation of JC and BK polyomaviruses during immunosuppression can lead to adverse clinical outcomes. In renal transplant recipients, BKV-associated nephropathy can result in graft loss, while in patients with autoimmune disorders, prolonged immunomodulatory drug use can cause rare onset of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy due to JCV reactivation. In such patients, accurate BK and JC viral load determinations by molecular technologies are important for diagnosis and clinical management; however, comparability across centres requires effective standardisation of diagnostic molecular detection systems. In October 2015, the WHO Expert Committee for Biological Standardisation (ECBS) established the 1st WHO International Standards (ISs) for use as primary-order calibrants for BKV and JCV nucleic acid detection. Two multi-centre collaborative studies confirmed their utility in harmonising agreement across the wide range of BKV and JCV assays, respectively. Previous Illumina-based deep sequence analysis of these standards, however, identified deletions in different regions, including the large T-antigen coding region. Hence, further detailed characterization was warranted. METHODS Comprehensive sequence characterisation of each preparation using short- and long-read next-generation sequencing technologies was performed with additional corroborative independent digital PCR (dPCR) determinations. Potential error rates associated with long-read sequencing were minimised by applying rolling circle amplification (RCA) protocols for viral DNA (circular dsDNA), generating a full validation of sequence identity and composition and delineating the integrity of full-length BK and JC genomes. RESULTS The analysed genomes displayed subpopulations frequently characterised by complex gene re-arrangements, duplications and deletions. CONCLUSIONS Despite the recognition of such polymorphisms using high-resolution sequencing methodologies, the ability of these reference materials to act to enhance assay harmonisation did not appear significantly impacted, based on data generated by the 2015 WHO collaborative studies, but highlights cautionary aspects of IS generation and commutability for clinical molecular diagnostic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila Govind
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Martin Fritzsche
- Division of Analytical and Biological Sciences, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA), South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Adrian Jenkins
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Megan H Cleveland
- Applied Genetics Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Peter M Vallone
- Applied Genetics Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Neil Almond
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Clare Morris
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Neil Berry
- Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), South Mimms EN6 3QG, UK
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3
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Liu S, Wang Z, Wang M, Meng T, Zhang Y, Zhang W, Sui Z. Evaluation of volume-based flow cytometry as a potential primary method for quantification of bacterial reference material. Talanta 2023; 255:124197. [PMID: 36571974 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2022.124197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial reference materials (RMs) play a crucial role in many analytical processes of microbiological detection. Currently, bacteria are typically counted using the traditional plate-based approach, which results in a higher uncertainty of bacterial RMs unfortunately. Therefore, novel methods are urgently required for the value assignment of RMs in the field of microbiology to derive measurement traceability and accuracy. A potential primary method for microbiological quantification based on flow cytometry (FCM) is described in this study using Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli O157) as an example. The proposed method was applied to determine the number of viable E. coli O157 cells in the RMs with a result of (5.48 ± 0.27) × 108 cells mL-1, which was in good agreement with the result obtained using the plate-based method (En = 0.47). Additionally, this method could be entirely described and understood by equations, and provides formal traceability to the SI for counts of viable bacterial cells, while the associated relative expanded uncertainty (4.93%, k = 2) was significantly lower in comparison to the plate-based method. Therefore, the FCM-based method might be a potential primary method for characterizing bacterial RMs. To our knowledge, this is the first description of FCM as a potential primary method for accurate and traceable quantification of viable bacterial cells with a comprehensive uncertainty statement in microbiological metrology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Liu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China; Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Analysis and Control for Zoonotic Pathogenic Microorganism, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China
| | - Ziquan Wang
- Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Tao Meng
- Division of Thermophysics Metrology, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yunzhe Zhang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Analysis and Control for Zoonotic Pathogenic Microorganism, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Analysis and Control for Zoonotic Pathogenic Microorganism, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, China.
| | - Zhiwei Sui
- Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, 100029, China.
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4
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Milavec M, Pavšič J, Bogožalec Košir A, Jones GM, O'Sullivan DM, Devonshire AS, Van Heuverswyn F, Karczmarczyk M, Neeb J, Plauth A, Corbisier P, Schimmel H, Kummrow A, Neukammer J, Foy CA, Kammel M, Grunert HP, Zeichhardt H, Huggett JF. The performance of human cytomegalovirus digital PCR reference measurement procedure in seven external quality assessment schemes over four years. Methods 2021; 201:65-73. [PMID: 33812016 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A candidate digital PCR (dPCR)-based reference measurement procedure for quantification of human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) was evaluated in 10 viral load comparison schemes (seven external quality assessment (EQA) and three additional training schemes) organized by INSTAND e.V. over four years (between September 2014 and March 2018). Four metrology institutes participated in these schemes using the same extraction method and dPCR measurement procedure for the hCMV specific target sequence of UL54 gene. The calibration independent reference measurement procedure results from the metrology institutes were compared to the results of the clinical diagnostic laboratories applying hCMV qPCR measurement procedures calibrated to reference materials. While the criteria for the acceptable deviation from the target value interval for INSTAND's EQA schemes is from -0.8 log10 to +0.8 log10, the majority of dPCR results were between -0.2 log10 to +0.2 log10. Only 4 out of 45 results exceeded this interval with the maximum deviation of -0.542 log10. In the training schemes containing samples with lower hCMV concentrations, more than half of the results deviated less than ±0.2 log10 from the target value, while more than 95% deviated less than ±0.4 log10 from the target value. Evaluation of intra- and inter-laboratory variation of dPCR results confirmed high reproducibility and trueness of the method. This work demonstrates that dPCR has the potential to act as a calibration independent reference measurement procedure for the value assignment of hCMV calibration and reference materials to support qPCR calibration as well as ultimately for routine hCMV load testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojca Milavec
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Jernej Pavšič
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alexandra Bogožalec Košir
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gerwyn M Jones
- National Measurement Laboratory (NML), LGC, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, United Kingdom
| | - Denise M O'Sullivan
- National Measurement Laboratory (NML), LGC, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, United Kingdom
| | - Alison S Devonshire
- National Measurement Laboratory (NML), LGC, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Jannika Neeb
- Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt, Abbestr. 2-12, D-10587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Annabell Plauth
- Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt, Abbestr. 2-12, D-10587 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Heinz Schimmel
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Geel, Belgium
| | - Andreas Kummrow
- Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt, Abbestr. 2-12, D-10587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörg Neukammer
- Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt, Abbestr. 2-12, D-10587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Carole A Foy
- National Measurement Laboratory (NML), LGC, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Kammel
- INSTAND, Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Qualitaetssicherung in medizinischen Laboratorien e.V., Ubierstr.20, D-40223 Düsseldorf, Germany; IQVD GmbH, Institut fuer Qualitaetssicherung in der Virusdiagnostik, Potsdamer Chaussee 80, D-14129 Berlin, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Grunert
- GBD Gesellschaft fuer Biotechnologische Diagnostik mbH, Berlin, Potsdamer Chaussee 80, D-14129 Berlin, Germany
| | - Heinz Zeichhardt
- INSTAND, Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Qualitaetssicherung in medizinischen Laboratorien e.V., Ubierstr.20, D-40223 Düsseldorf, Germany; IQVD GmbH, Institut fuer Qualitaetssicherung in der Virusdiagnostik, Potsdamer Chaussee 80, D-14129 Berlin, Germany; GBD Gesellschaft fuer Biotechnologische Diagnostik mbH, Berlin, Potsdamer Chaussee 80, D-14129 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jim F Huggett
- National Measurement Laboratory (NML), LGC, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, United Kingdom; School of Biosciences & Medicine, Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
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Molina-Mora JA, Solano-Vargas M. Set-theory based benchmarking of three different variant callers for targeted sequencing. BMC Bioinformatics 2021; 22:20. [PMID: 33413082 PMCID: PMC7791862 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-020-03926-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have improved the study of hereditary diseases. Since the evaluation of bioinformatics pipelines is not straightforward, NGS demands effective strategies to analyze data that is of paramount relevance for decision making under a clinical scenario. According to the benchmarking framework of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH), we implemented a new simple and user-friendly set-theory based method to assess variant callers using a gold standard variant set and high confidence regions. As model, we used TruSight Cardio kit sequencing data of the reference genome NA12878. This targeted sequencing kit is used to identify variants in key genes related to Inherited Cardiac Conditions (ICCs), a group of cardiovascular diseases with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Results We implemented and compared three variant calling pipelines (Isaac, Freebayes, and VarScan). Performance metrics using our set-theory approach showed high-resolution pipelines and revealed: (1) a perfect recall of 1.000 for all three pipelines, (2) very high precision values, i.e. 0.987 for Freebayes, 0.928 for VarScan, and 1.000 for Isaac, when compared with the reference material, and (3) a ROC curve analysis with AUC > 0.94 for all cases. Moreover, significant differences were obtained between the three pipelines. In general, results indicate that the three pipelines were able to recognize the expected variants in the gold standard data set. Conclusions Our set-theory approach to calculate metrics was able to identify the expected ICCs related variants by the three selected pipelines, but results were completely dependent on the algorithms. We emphasize the importance to assess pipelines using gold standard materials to achieve the most reliable results for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Arturo Molina-Mora
- Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET) and Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), San José, Costa Rica. .,Centro de Investigaciones en Hematología y Transtornos Afines (CIHATA), Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), San José, Costa Rica.
| | - Mariela Solano-Vargas
- Centro de Investigaciones en Hematología y Transtornos Afines (CIHATA), Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), San José, Costa Rica
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6
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Persistent Challenges of Interassay Variability in Transplant Viral Load Testing. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58:JCM.00782-20. [PMID: 32554479 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00782-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
While quantification of viruses that cause important infections in transplant recipients has been the standard of care for years, important challenges related to standardization remain. The issues are wide ranging, and until they are adequately addressed, the full impact of viral load testing regarding clinical management decisions will not be realized. This review focuses on a broad array of problems, including the lack of available FDA-approved/cleared tests, limited uptake of international standards, accurate quantification of secondary standards, specific assay characteristics, and commutability. Though some of these topics are nuanced, taken together they greatly influence the clinical utility of testing. For example, it has not been possible to define thresholds that predict the risk of developing disease and determine significant changes in serial viral load values for a given patient. Moreover, the utility of international guidelines may be limited due to the lack of a standardized assay. By summarizing the issues, the hope is that commercial companies, regulatory agencies, and professional societies can come together to advance the field and solve these problems.
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7
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Clinical correlation of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus load measured by digital PCR. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220908. [PMID: 31479459 PMCID: PMC6720028 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute respiratory tract infections are a major cause of respiratory morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients worldwide. However, accurate viral and immunologic markers to predict clinical outcomes of this patient population are still lacking. Droplet digital PCR assays for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were designed and performed in 64 respiratory samples from 23 patients with influenza virus infection and 73 samples from 19 patients with RSV infection. Samples of patients with hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, or sickle cell disease were included. Clinical information from institutional medical records was reviewed to assess disease severity. Samples from patients with fever or respiratory symptoms had a significantly higher viral loads than those from asymptomatic patients. Samples from patients with influenza virus and RSV infection collected at presentation had significantly higher viral loads than those collected from patients after completing a course of oseltamivir or ribavirin, respectively. RSV loads correlated positively with clinical symptoms in patients ≤5 years of age, whereas influenza viral loads were associated with clinical symptoms, irrespective of age. Patients receiving antivirals for influenza and RSV had a significant reduction in viral loads after completing therapy. Digital PCR offers an effective method to monitor the efficacy of antiviral treatment for respiratory tract infections in immunocompromised hosts.
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8
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Milosevic D, Mills JR, Campion MB, Vidal-Folch N, Voss JS, Halling KC, Highsmith WE, Liu MC, Kipp BR, Grebe SKG. Applying Standard Clinical Chemistry Assay Validation to Droplet Digital PCR Quantitative Liquid Biopsy Testing. Clin Chem 2018; 64:1732-1742. [DOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2018.291278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) is an emerging technology for quantitative cell-free DNA oncology applications. However, assay performance criteria must be established in a standardized manner to harness this potential. We reasoned that standard protocols used in clinical chemistry assay validation should be able to fill this need.
METHODS
We validated KRAS, EGFR, and BRAF quantitative ddPCR assays based on the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act regulations for laboratory-developed tests in clinical chemistry and the matching Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. This included evaluation of limit of the blank (LOB), limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), intraassay and interassay imprecision, analytical range, dilution linearity, accuracy (including comparison with orthogonal platforms), reference range study, interference, and stability studies.
RESULTS
For the ddPCR assays, the LOB was 4 mutant copies, LODs were 12 to 22 copies, and LOQs were 35 to 64 copies. The upper limit of the dynamic range was 30000 copies, and dilutions were linear down to the LOQs with good accuracy of spike recovery of Horizon reference material. Method comparisons with next-generation sequencing and an alternative ddPCR platform showed complete qualitative agreement and quantitative concordance, with slopes of 0.73 to 0.97 and R2s of 0.83 to 0.99. No substantial interferences were discovered. Wild-type copy numbers in plasma ranged from 462 to 6169/mL in healthy individuals.
CONCLUSIONS
Standard clinical chemistry assay validation protocols can be applied to quantitative ddPCR assays. This should facilitate comparison of the performance of different assays and allow establishment of minimal significant change thresholds in monitoring applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dragana Milosevic
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - John R Mills
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Michael B Campion
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Noemi Vidal-Folch
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Jesse S Voss
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Kevin C Halling
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - W Edward Highsmith
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Minetta C Liu
- Department of Laboratory Meidicne and Pathology, Division of Anatomic Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
- Department of Oncology, Division of Medical Oncology Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Benjamin R Kipp
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Stefan K G Grebe
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
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Plebani M. Harmonization in laboratory medicine: more than clinical chemistry? Clin Chem Lab Med 2018; 56:1579-1586. [DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2017-0865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
The goal of harmonizing laboratory information is to contribute to quality in patient care, ultimately improving upon patient outcomes and safety. The main focus of harmonization and standardization initiatives has been on analytical processes within the laboratory walls, clinical chemistry tests in particular. However, two major evidences obtained in recent years show that harmonization should be promoted not only in the analytical phase but also in all steps of the testing process, encompassing the entire field of laboratory medicine, including innovative areas (e.g. “omics”) rather than just conventional clinical chemistry tests. A large body of evidence demonstrates the vulnerability of the extra-analytical phases of the testing cycle. Because only “good biological samples” can assure good analytical quality, a closer interconnection between the different phases of the cycle is needed. In order to provide reliable and accurate laboratory information, harmonization activities should cover all steps of the cycle from the “pre-pre-analytical” phase (right choice of test at right time for right patient) through the analytical steps (right results with right report) to the “post-post-analytical” steps (right and timely acknowledgment of laboratory information, right interpretation and utilization with any necessary advice as to what to do next with the information provided). In addition, modern clinical laboratories are performing a broad menu of hundreds of tests, covering both traditional and innovative subspecialties of the discipline. In addition, according to a centered viewpoint, harmonization initiatives should not be addressed exclusively to clinical chemistry tests but should also include all areas of laboratory medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Plebani
- Department of Laboratory Medicine , University-Hospital of Padova , Via Nicolo Giustiniani 2 , 35128 Padova , Italy
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10
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Greninger AL, Roychoudhury P, Makhsous N, Hanson D, Chase J, Krueger G, Xie H, Huang ML, Saunders L, Ablashi D, Koelle DM, Cook L, Jerome KR. Copy Number Heterogeneity, Large Origin Tandem Repeats, and Interspecies Recombination in Human Herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and HHV-6B Reference Strains. J Virol 2018; 92:e00135-18. [PMID: 29491155 PMCID: PMC5923074 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00135-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitative PCR is a diagnostic pillar for clinical virology testing, and reference materials are necessary for accurate, comparable quantitation between clinical laboratories. Accurate quantitation of human herpesvirus 6A/B (HHV-6A/B) is important for detection of viral reactivation and inherited chromosomally integrated HHV-6A/B in immunocompromised patients. Reference materials in clinical virology commonly consist of laboratory-adapted viral strains that may be affected by the culture process. We performed next-generation sequencing to make relative copy number measurements at single nucleotide resolution of eight candidate HHV-6A and seven HHV-6B reference strains and DNA materials from the HHV-6 Foundation and Advanced Biotechnologies Inc. Eleven of 17 (65%) HHV-6A/B candidate reference materials showed multiple copies of the origin of replication upstream of the U41 gene by next-generation sequencing. These large tandem repeats arose independently in culture-adapted HHV-6A and HHV-6B strains, measuring 1,254 bp and 983 bp, respectively. The average copy number measured was between 5 and 10 times the number of copies of the rest of the genome. We also report the first interspecies recombinant HHV-6A/B strain with a HHV-6A backbone and a >5.5-kb region from HHV-6B, from U41 to U43, that covered the origin tandem repeat. Specific HHV-6A reference strains demonstrated duplication of regions at U1/U2, U87, and U89, as well as deletion in the U12-to-U24 region and the U94/U95 genes. HHV-6A/B strains derived from cord blood mononuclear cells from different laboratories on different continents with fewer passages revealed no copy number differences throughout the viral genome. These data indicate that large origin tandem duplications are an adaptation of both HHV-6A and HHV-6B in culture and show interspecies recombination is possible within the Betaherpesvirinae.IMPORTANCE Anything in science that needs to be quantitated requires a standard unit of measurement. This includes viruses, for which quantitation increasingly determines definitions of pathology and guidelines for treatment. However, the act of making standard or reference material in virology can alter its very accuracy through genomic duplications, insertions, and rearrangements. We used deep sequencing to examine candidate reference strains for HHV-6, a ubiquitous human virus that can reactivate in the immunocompromised population and is integrated into the human genome in every cell of the body for 1% of people worldwide. We found large tandem repeats in the origin of replication for both HHV-6A and HHV-6B that are selected for in culture. We also found the first interspecies recombinant between HHV-6A and HHV-6B, a phenomenon that is well known in alphaherpesviruses but to date has not been seen in betaherpesviruses. These data critically inform HHV-6A/B biology and the standard selection process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander L Greninger
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Pavitra Roychoudhury
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Negar Makhsous
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Derek Hanson
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jill Chase
- HHV-6 Foundation, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Gerhard Krueger
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Hong Xie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Meei-Li Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lindsay Saunders
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - David M Koelle
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Linda Cook
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Keith R Jerome
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Plasmodium Detection and Differentiation by Direct-on-Blood PCR Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow Immunoassay. J Mol Diagn 2018; 20:78-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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12
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Hashemi P, Luckau L, Mischnick P, Schmidt S, Stosch R, Wünsch B. Biomacromolecules as tools and objects in nanometrology-current challenges and perspectives. Anal Bioanal Chem 2017; 409:5901-5909. [PMID: 28808731 PMCID: PMC5602082 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-017-0554-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acids, proteins, and polysaccharides are the most important classes of biopolymers. The inherent properties of biomacromolecules are contrary to those of well-defined small molecules consequently raising a number of specific challenges which become particularly apparent if biomacromolecules are treated as objects in quantitative analysis. At the same time, their specific functional ability of molecular recognition and self-organization (e.g., enzymes, antibodies, DNA) enables us to make biomacromolecules serving as molecular tools in biochemistry and molecular biology, or as precisely controllable dimensional platforms for nanometrological applications. Given the complexity of biomacromolecules, quantitative analysis is not limited to the measurement of their concentration but also involves the determination of numerous descriptors related to structure, interaction, activity, and function. Among the biomacromolecules, glycans set examples that quantitative characterization is not necessarily directed to the measurement of amount-of-substance concentration but instead involves the determination of relative proportions (molar ratios) of structural features for comparison with theoretical models. This article addresses current activities to combine optical techniques such as Raman spectroscopy with isotope dilution approaches to realize reference measurement procedures for the quantification of protein biomarkers as an alternative to mass spectrometry-based techniques. Furthermore, it is explored how established ID-MS protocols are being modified to make them applicable for quantifying virus proteins to measure the HIV viral load in blood samples. As an example from the class of carbohydrates, the challenges in accurate determination of substitution patterns are outlined and discussed. Finally, it is presented that biomacromolecules can also serve as tools in quantitative measurements of dimensions with an example of DNA origami to generate defined dimensional standards to be used for calibration in super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. Graphical abstract Quantitative analysis of biomacromolecules is accompanied with special challenges different from low molecular weight compounds. In addition, they are not only objects but also tools applicable for quantitative measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payam Hashemi
- Institute for Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Schleinitzstr. 20, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Luise Luckau
- Metrology in Chemistry, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, 38116, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Petra Mischnick
- Institute for Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Schleinitzstr. 20, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Sarah Schmidt
- Metrology in Chemistry, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, 38116, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Rainer Stosch
- Metrology in Chemistry, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, 38116, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Bettina Wünsch
- Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), and Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology (LENA), Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
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13
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Pyne M, Mallory M, Xie H, Mei Y, Schlaberg R, Hillyard D. Sequencing of the Hepatitis D Virus RNA WHO International Standard. J Clin Virol 2017; 90:52-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2017.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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14
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Kalman LV, Datta V, Williams M, Zook JM, Salit ML, Han JY. Development and Characterization of Reference Materials for Genetic Testing: Focus on Public Partnerships. Ann Lab Med 2017; 36:513-20. [PMID: 27578503 PMCID: PMC5011103 DOI: 10.3343/alm.2016.36.6.513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Revised: 05/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Characterized reference materials (RMs) are needed for clinical laboratory test development and validation, quality control procedures, and proficiency testing to assure their quality. In this article, we review the development and characterization of RMs for clinical molecular genetic tests. We describe various types of RMs and how to access and utilize them, especially focusing on the Genetic Testing Reference Materials Coordination Program (Get-RM) and the Genome in a Bottle (GIAB) Consortium. This review also reinforces the need for collaborative efforts in the clinical genetic testing community to develop additional RMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa V Kalman
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Vivekananda Datta
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Mickey Williams
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Justin M Zook
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Marc L Salit
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Jin Yeong Han
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
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15
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Progress in Quantitative Viral Load Testing: Variability and Impact of the WHO Quantitative International Standards. J Clin Microbiol 2016; 55:423-430. [PMID: 27852673 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02044-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been hoped that the recent availability of WHO quantitative standards would improve interlaboratory agreement for viral load testing; however, insufficient data are available to evaluate whether this has been the case. Results from 554 laboratories participating in proficiency testing surveys for quantitative PCR assays of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), BK virus (BKV), adenovirus (ADV), and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV6) were evaluated to determine overall result variability and then were stratified by assay manufacturer. The impact of calibration to international units/ml (CMV and EBV) on variability was also determined. Viral loads showed a high degree of interlaboratory variability for all tested viruses, with interquartile ranges as high as 1.46 log10 copies/ml and the overall range for a given sample up to 5.66 log10 copies/ml. Some improvement in result variability was seen when international units were adopted. This was particularly the case for EBV viral load results. Variability in viral load results remains a challenge across all viruses tested here; introduction of international quantitative standards may help reduce variability and does so more or less markedly for certain viruses.
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16
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Comparative Performance of Reagents and Platforms for Quantitation of Cytomegalovirus DNA by Digital PCR. J Clin Microbiol 2016; 54:2602-8. [PMID: 27535685 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01474-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A potential benefit of digital PCR is a reduction in result variability across assays and platforms. Three sets of PCR reagents were tested on two digital PCR systems (Bio-Rad and RainDance), using three different sets of PCR reagents for quantitation of cytomegalovirus (CMV). Both commercial quantitative viral standards and 16 patient samples (n = 16) were tested. Quantitative accuracy (compared to nominal values) and variability were determined based on viral standard testing results. Quantitative correlation and variability were assessed with pairwise comparisons across all reagent-platform combinations for clinical plasma sample results. The three reagent sets, when used to assay quantitative standards on the Bio-Rad system, all showed a high degree of accuracy, low variability, and close agreement with one another. When used on the RainDance system, one of the three reagent sets appeared to have a much better correlation to nominal values than did the other two. Quantitative results for patient samples showed good correlation in most pairwise comparisons, with some showing poorer correlations when testing samples with low viral loads. Digital PCR is a robust method for measuring CMV viral load. Some degree of result variation may be seen, depending on platform and reagents used; this variation appears to be greater in samples with low viral load values.
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17
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Baoutina A, Bhat S, Zheng M, Partis L, Dobeson M, Alexander IE, Emslie KR. Synthetic certified DNA reference material for analysis of human erythropoietin transgene and transcript in gene doping and gene therapy. Gene Ther 2016; 23:708-717. [DOI: 10.1038/gt.2016.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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18
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Suganda S, Tang L, Carr J, Sun Y, Pounds S, Hayden R. Comparative evaluation of whole blood versus plasma for quantitative detection of cytomegalovirus using an automated system. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2016; 85:23-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2015.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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19
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Plebani M. Harmonization in laboratory medicine: Requests, samples, measurements and reports. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2015; 53:184-96. [DOI: 10.3109/10408363.2015.1116851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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20
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Roth JM, Korevaar DA, Leeflang MMG, Mens PF. Molecular malaria diagnostics: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2015; 53:87-105. [DOI: 10.3109/10408363.2015.1084991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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21
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Commutability of the First World Health Organization International Standard for Human Cytomegalovirus. J Clin Microbiol 2015; 53:3325-33. [PMID: 26269622 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.01495-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitative detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA has become a standard part of care for many groups of immunocompromised patients; recent development of the first WHO international standard for human CMV DNA has raised hopes of reducing interlaboratory variability of results. Commutability of reference material has been shown to be necessary if such material is to reduce variability among laboratories. Here we evaluated the commutability of the WHO standard using 10 different real-time quantitative CMV PCR assays run by eight different laboratories. Test panels, including aliquots of 50 patient samples (40 positive samples and 10 negative samples) and lyophilized CMV standard, were run, with each testing center using its own quantitative calibrators, reagents, and nucleic acid extraction methods. Commutability was assessed both on a pairwise basis and over the entire group of assays, using linear regression and correspondence analyses. Commutability of the WHO material differed among the tests that were evaluated, and these differences appeared to vary depending on the method of statistical analysis used and the cohort of assays included in the analysis. Depending on the methodology used, the WHO material showed poor or absent commutability with up to 50% of assays. Determination of commutability may require a multifaceted approach; the lack of commutability seen when using the WHO standard with several of the assays here suggests that further work is needed to bring us toward true consensus.
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22
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Comparative evaluation of three commercial quantitative cytomegalovirus standards by use of digital and real-time PCR. J Clin Microbiol 2015; 53:1500-5. [PMID: 25694529 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.03375-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent development of the 1st WHO International Standard for human cytomegalovirus (CMV) and the introduction of commercially produced secondary standards have raised hopes of improved agreement among laboratories performing quantitative PCR for CMV. However, data to evaluate the trueness and uniformity of secondary standards and the consistency of results achieved when these materials are run on various assays are lacking. Three concentrations of each of the three commercially prepared secondary CMV standards were tested in quadruplicate by three real-time and two digital PCR methods. The mean results were compared in a pairwise fashion with nominal values provided by each manufacturer. The agreement of results among all methods for each sample and for like concentrations of each standard was also assessed. The relationship between the nominal values of standards and the measured values varied, depending upon the assay used and the manufacturer of the standards, with the degree of bias ranging from +0.6 to -1.0 log10 IU/ml. The mean digital PCR result differed significantly among the secondary standards, as did the results of the real-time PCRs, particularly when plotted against nominal log10 IU values. Commercially available quantitative secondary CMV standards produce variable results when tested by different real-time and digital PCR assays, with various magnitudes of bias compared to nominal values. These findings suggest that the use of such materials may not achieve the intended uniformity among laboratories measuring CMV viral load, as envisioned by adaptation of the WHO standard.
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23
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Nixon GJ, Svenstrup HF, Donald CE, Carder C, Stephenson JM, Morris-Jones S, Huggett JF, Foy CA. A novel approach for evaluating the performance of real time quantitative loop-mediated isothermal amplification-based methods. BIOMOLECULAR DETECTION AND QUANTIFICATION 2014; 2:4-10. [PMID: 27896139 PMCID: PMC5121211 DOI: 10.1016/j.bdq.2014.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Revised: 11/06/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Molecular diagnostic measurements are currently underpinned by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). There are also a number of alternative nucleic acid amplification technologies, which unlike PCR, work at a single temperature. These ‘isothermal’ methods, reportedly offer potential advantages over PCR such as simplicity, speed and resistance to inhibitors and could also be used for quantitative molecular analysis. However there are currently limited mechanisms to evaluate their quantitative performance, which would assist assay development and study comparisons. This study uses a sexually transmitted infection diagnostic model in combination with an adapted metric termed isothermal doubling time (IDT), akin to PCR efficiency, to compare quantitative PCR and quantitative loop-mediated isothermal amplification (qLAMP) assays, and to quantify the impact of matrix interference. The performance metric described here facilitates the comparison of qLAMP assays that could assist assay development and validation activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin J. Nixon
- LGC, Queens Road, Teddington, UK
- Corresponding author at: Molecular and Cell Biology, LGC, Queens Road, Teddington, UK.
| | | | | | - Caroline Carder
- Medicine Clinical Board, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Stephen Morris-Jones
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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24
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Minor P. International reference preparations for standardization of biological medicinal products. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2014; 57:1145-51. [PMID: 25204274 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-014-2027-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
International standards are prepared as materials assigned an arbitrary unitage for a biological activity by the Expert Committee on Biological Standardization of the World Health Organization. Working reference materials are calibrated against international standards giving a common unit of measurement between laboratories. The references are assessed by a collaborative study including all relevant assays rather than by a single reference method as in the SI (Le Système international d'unités) system and the unitage assigned is an arbitrary value derived from a consensus of all valid methods. The process has proved valuable in assaying the activity of therapeutic biological medicines and in standardizing certain types of diagnostics. Issues arise with maintaining the unit when the primary reference must be replaced and to some extent in assessing the commutability of the reference with real life analytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Minor
- Division of Virology, National Institute of Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, EN6 3QG, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom,
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25
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Jülicher P, Dhein J. The Range of Uncertainty: a Tool for Efficiently Addressing Result Variability Around Clinical Decision Points for Hepatitis C Response-guided Therapy. Biomark Insights 2014; 9:9-13. [PMID: 24812481 PMCID: PMC3999813 DOI: 10.4137/bmi.s14481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite efforts to standardize molecular diagnostic tests, performance differences are not rare. Laboratories are challenged in situations where treatment rules have been established using a reference assay that is different from the assays being used in daily practice. Assessing the viral load status of patients with chronic hepatitis C under modern triple therapy is a recognized example. We demonstrate the use of the range of uncertainty as an easy and efficient tool that can provide information on the certainty of a test result’s interpretation in the context of making hepatitis C virus treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jens Dhein
- Abbott GmbH and Co KG, Wiesbaden, Germany
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26
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Mason
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TG, UK
| | - Michael Griffiths
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TG, UK
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27
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Plebani M. Harmonization in laboratory medicine: the complete picture. Clin Chem Lab Med 2013; 51:741-51. [PMID: 23435100 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2013-0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2013] [Accepted: 01/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Evidence of the acute lack of interchangeable laboratory results and consensus in current practice among clinical laboratories has underpinned greater attention to standardization and harmonization projects. Although the focus is mainly on the standardization of measurement procedures, the scope of harmonization goes beyond method and analytical results: it includes all other aspects of laboratory testing, including terminology and units, report formats, reference intervals and decision limits, as well as test profiles and criteria for the interpretation of results. This review provides further insight on the issue of harmonization in laboratory medicine in view of the urgent need for a complete picture now that old and new drivers are calling for more effective efforts in this field. The main drivers for standardization and harmonization projects are first and foremost patient safety, but also the increasing trends towards consolidation and networking of clinical laboratories, accreditation programs, clinical governance, and advances in Information Technology (IT), including the electronic patient record. The harmonization process, which should be considered a three-tier approach involving local, national and international fronts, must go beyond the harmonization of methods and analytical results to include all other aspects of laboratory testing. A pertinent example of the importance of a complete picture in harmonization programs is given by the National Bone Health Alliance working in the field of bone turnover markers in cooperation with scientific societies including the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Plebani
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University-Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy.
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28
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Multicenter evaluation of a commercial cytomegalovirus quantitative standard: effects of commutability on interlaboratory concordance. J Clin Microbiol 2013; 51:3811-7. [PMID: 24025907 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02036-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Commutability of quantitative reference materials has proven important for reliable and accurate results in clinical chemistry. As international reference standards and commercially produced calibration material have become available to address the variability of viral load assays, the degree to which such materials are commutable and the effect of commutability on assay concordance have been questioned. To investigate this, 60 archived clinical plasma samples, which previously tested positive for cytomegalovirus (CMV), were retested by five different laboratories, each using a different quantitative CMV PCR assay. Results from each laboratory were calibrated both with lab-specific quantitative CMV standards ("lab standards") and with common, commercially available standards ("CMV panel"). Pairwise analyses among laboratories were performed using mean results from each clinical sample, calibrated first with lab standards and then with the CMV panel. Commutability of the CMV panel was determined based on difference plots for each laboratory pair showing plotted values of standards that were within the 95% prediction intervals for the clinical specimens. Commutability was demonstrated for 6 of 10 laboratory pairs using the CMV panel. In half of these pairs, use of the CMV panel improved quantitative agreement compared to use of lab standards. Two of four laboratory pairs for which the CMV panel was noncommutable showed reduced quantitative agreement when that panel was used as a common calibrator. Commutability of calibration material varies across different quantitative PCR methods. Use of a common, commutable quantitative standard can improve agreement across different assays; use of a noncommutable calibrator can reduce agreement among laboratories.
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29
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Kaman WE, Andrinopoulou ER, Hays JP. Perceptions of point-of-care infectious disease testing among European medical personnel, point-of-care test kit manufacturers, and the general public. Patient Prefer Adherence 2013; 7:559-77. [PMID: 23814465 PMCID: PMC3693915 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s44889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The proper development and implementation of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics requires knowledge of the perceived requirements and barriers to their implementation. To determine the current requirements and perceived barriers to the introduction of POC diagnostics in the field of medical microbiology (MM)-POC a prospective online survey (TEMPOtest-QC) was established. METHODS AND RESULTS The TEMPOtest-QC survey was online between February 2011 and July 2012 and targeted the medical community, POC test diagnostic manufacturers, general practitioners, and the general public. In total, 293 individuals responded to the survey, including 91 (31%) medical microbiologists, 39 (13%) nonmedical microbiologists, 25 (9%) employees of POC test manufacturers, and 138 (47%) members of the general public. Responses were received from 18 different European countries, with the largest percentage of these living in The Netherlands (52%). The majority (>50%) of medical specialists regarded the development of MM-POC for blood culture and hospital acquired infections as "absolutely necessary", but were much less favorable towards their use in the home environment. Significant differences in perceptions between medical specialists and the general public included the: (1) Effect on quality of patient care; (2) Ability to better monitor patients; (3) Home testing and the doctor-patient relationship; and (4) MM-POC interpretation. Only 34.7% of the general public is willing to pay more than a€10 ($13) for a single MM-POC test, with 85.5% preferring to purchase their MM-POC test from a pharmacy. CONCLUSION The requirements for the proper implementation of MM-POC were found to be generally similar between medical specialists and POC test kit manufacturers. The general public was much more favorable with respect to a perceived improvement in the quality of healthcare that these tests would bring to the hospital and home environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy E Kaman
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - John P Hays
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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30
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Haynes RJ, Kline MC, Toman B, Scott C, Wallace P, Butler JM, Holden MJ. Standard reference material 2366 for measurement of human cytomegalovirus DNA. J Mol Diagn 2013; 15:177-85. [PMID: 23321018 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2012.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2012] [Revised: 08/14/2012] [Accepted: 09/27/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV), classified as human herpesvirus 5, is ubiquitous in human populations. Infection generally causes little illness in healthy individuals, but can cause life-threatening disease in those who are immunocompromised or in newborns through complications arising from congenital CMV infection. An important aspect in diagnosis and treatment is to track circulating viral load with molecular methods, particularly with quantitative PCR. Standardization is vital, because of interlaboratory variability (due in part to the variety of assays and calibrants). Toward that end, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology produced a Standard Reference Material 2366 appropriate for establishing metrological traceability of assay calibrants. This standard is composed of CMV DNA (Towne(Δ147) bacterial artificial chromosome DNA). Regions of the CMV DNA that are commonly used as targets for PCR assays were sequenced. Digital PCR was used to quantify the DNA, with concentration expressed as copies per microliter. The materials were tested for homogeneity and stability. An interlaboratory study was conducted by Quality Control for Molecular Diagnostics (Glasgow, UK), in which one component of SRM 2366 was included for analysis by participants in a CMV external quality assessment and proficiency testing program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross J Haynes
- Applied Genetics Group, Biomolecular Measurement Division, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA.
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31
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Comparison of droplet digital PCR to real-time PCR for quantitative detection of cytomegalovirus. J Clin Microbiol 2012; 51:540-6. [PMID: 23224089 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02620-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 237] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) has been widely implemented for clinical viral load testing, but a lack of standardization and relatively poor precision have hindered its usefulness. Digital PCR offers highly precise, direct quantification without requiring a calibration curve. Performance characteristics of real-time PCR were compared to those of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for cytomegalovirus (CMV) load testing. Tenfold serial dilutions of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) CMV quantitative standards were tested, together with the AcroMetrix CMV tc panel (Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA) and 50 human plasma specimens. Each method was evaluated using all three standards for quantitative linearity, lower limit of detection (LOD), and accuracy. Quantitative correlation, mean viral load, and variability were compared. Real-time PCR showed somewhat higher sensitivity than ddPCR (LODs, 3 log(10) versus 4 log(10) copies/ml and IU/ml for NIST and WHO standards, respectively). Both methods showed a high degree of linearity and quantitative correlation for standards (R(2) ≥ 0.98 in each of 6 regression models) and clinical samples (R(2) = 0.93) across their detectable ranges. For higher concentrations, ddPCR showed less variability than QRT-PCR for the WHO standards and AcroMetrix standards (P < 0.05). QRT-PCR showed less variability and greater sensitivity than did ddPCR in clinical samples. Both digital and real-time PCR provide accurate CMV load data over a wide linear dynamic range. Digital PCR may provide an opportunity to reduce the quantitative variability currently seen using real-time PCR, but methods need to be further optimized to match the sensitivity of real-time PCR.
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Abstract
Background Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays used in pathogen detection require rigorous methods development including characterizing DNA extraction products. A DNA extract characterization process is demonstrated using DNA extracted from five different cells types (two Gram-negatives: Escherichia coli, and Burkholderia thailandensis, spores and vegetative cells from the Gram-positive Bacillus cereus, and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with six different methods. Results DNA extract quantity (concentration and extraction efficiency) and quality (purity and intactness) varied by cell type and extraction method enabling the demonstration of different DNA characterization methods. DNA purity was measured using UV spectroscopy, where the A260/A280 and A260/A230 ratios are indicators of different contaminants. Reproducibility of UV spectroscopy measurements decreased for DNA concentrations less than 17.5 ng/μL. Forty-seven extracts had concentrations greater than 17.5 ng/μL, 25 had A260/A280 above 2.0, and 28 had A260/A230 ratios below 1.8 indicating RNA and polysaccharide contamination respectively. Based on a qPCR inhibition assay the contaminants did not inhibit PCR. Extract intactness was evaluated using microfluidic gel electrophoresis. Thirty-five samples had concentrations above the limit of quantification (LOQ, roughly 11 ng/ μL), 93.5% of the DNA was larger than 1kb and 1% was smaller than 300 bp. Extract concentrations ranged from 1502.2 ng/μL to below the LOQ when UV spectroscopy, fluorometry, and qPCR were used. LOQ for UV spectroscopic and fluorometric measurements were 3.5 ng/μL and 0.25 ng/μL respectively. The qPCR LOQ varied by cell type (5.72 × 10-3 ng/μL for E. coli, 2.66 × 10-3 ng/μL, for B. cereus, 3.78 × 10-3 ng/μL for B. thailandensis, and 7.67 × 10-4 ng/μL for S. cerevisiae). A number of samples were below the UV spectroscopy (n = 27), flurometry (n = 15), and qPCR (n = 3) LOQ. Conclusion The presented DNA extract characterization process provides measures of DNA quantity and quality applicable to microbial detection methods development and validation studies. Evaluating DNA quality and quantity results in a better understanding of process LOD and contributing factors to suboptimal assay performance. The samples used demonstrated the use of different DNA characterization methods presented but did not encompass the full range of DNA extract characteristics.
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33
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Devonshire AS, Sanders R, Wilkes TM, Taylor MS, Foy CA, Huggett JF. Application of next generation qPCR and sequencing platforms to mRNA biomarker analysis. Methods 2012; 59:89-100. [PMID: 22841564 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2012.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2012] [Revised: 06/26/2012] [Accepted: 07/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent years have seen the emergence of new high-throughput PCR and sequencing platforms with the potential to bring analysis of transcriptional biomarkers to a broader range of clinical applications and to provide increasing depth to our understanding of the transcriptome. We present an overview of how to process clinical samples for RNA biomarker analysis in terms of RNA extraction and mRNA enrichment, and guidelines for sample analysis by RT-qPCR and digital PCR using nanofluidic real-time PCR platforms. The options for quantitative gene expression profiling and whole transcriptome sequencing by next generation sequencing are reviewed alongside the bioinformatic considerations for these approaches. Considering the diverse technologies now available for transcriptome analysis, methods for standardising measurements between platforms will be paramount if their diagnostic impact is to be maximised. Therefore, the use of RNA standards and other reference materials is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison S Devonshire
- Molecular and Cell Biology, LGC Limited, Queens Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LY, UK
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34
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Abstract
Molecular pathology as applied to neoplasia is a rapidly expanding component of the discipline of pathology that uses molecular biology tools in addition to conventional morphologic, immunohistochemical and chemical analyses of abnormalities in tissues and cells to understand the etiology and pathogenesis of tumors, establish their diagnosis, and contribute to prognostication and therapeutic decisions for cancer patient care. Biomarkers are a fundamental component of personalized cancer care, and the discipline of molecular pathology therefore contributes throughout the continuum from biomarker research to use in standard-of-care personalized cancer therapy. This brief review addresses some of the specific roles of molecular pathology in that continuum.
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Quindós G, Eraso E, López-Soria LM, Ezpeleta G. [Invasive fungal disease: conventional or molecular mycological diagnosis?]. Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin 2011; 30:560-71. [PMID: 22206948 DOI: 10.1016/j.eimc.2011.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2011] [Revised: 10/18/2011] [Accepted: 10/18/2011] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Diagnosis of invasive mycoses is a difficult challenge due to the limitations and low sensitivity of traditional microbiology methods which lead to diagnostic and therapeutic delays. The aim of this review is to summarise the state of the art of the molecular diagnosis of invasive fungal disease and to clarify its current role in the clinical practice. Conventional microbiological methods could be complemented with molecular methods in the rapid and definitive identification of fungal isolates. Biomarkers (β-glucan, galactomannan) are very useful in immunocompromised patients and have been included as probable invasive mycoses by the EORTC/MSG. Nucleic acid detection is currently used as a complementary tool for diagnosis. However, PCR can be very useful in mould invasive mycoses. Finally, the combined detection using biomarkers can improve the diagnosis. However, their applicability in the microbiology laboratory is not so easy and further studies are required for the appropriate evaluation of its clinical usefulness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Quindós
- Departamento de Inmunología, Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad del País Vasco, Bilbao, España.
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