Interpretation of real-time PCR results for hepatitis C virus RNA when viral load is below quantification limits

J Clin Microbiol. 2011 Mar;49(3):1113-5. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01511-10. Epub 2011 Jan 12.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus RNA quantification results obtained in 18 laboratories using real-time PCR methods with 10 negative samples and 22 sample dilutions (viral loads of 0.5 to 500 IU/ml) showed a score of correct results of up to 93.5%. However, 55.6% of the laboratories did not follow the recommendations for the interpretation of their results, leading to ambiguous conclusions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Decision Support Techniques*
  • Hepacivirus / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / standards*
  • Viral Load / methods*
  • Virology / methods*
  • Virology / standards*

Substances

  • RNA, Viral