Renata CM, Franchini M, Dantas MC, Bravim Y, De Araujo AM, Batista JM, Tanuri A; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 936 (abstract no. 43463).
Esplanada Dos Ministerios-Ministerio DA Saude, Brasilia DF, Brazil.
ISSUE: A quality assurance program is of critical importance to evaluate the performance of HIV-1 viral load laboratories network in Brazil. PROJECT: In March of 1997, the Brazilian National Programme on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS, from the Ministry of Health, came to the conclusion that patients under combined anti-retroviral therapy might be monitored on the plasmatic levels of viral RNA so as to evaluate the efficacy of therapy. To achieve this objective, a vital load laboratory network consisting of thirty five laboratories was implemented. The technology being used in all laboratories is NASBA. In order to evaluate the performance of the laboratories, a Quality Assurance Program was established. The panel for proficiency consisted of 3 samples containing 100,000 copies of RNA per ml (5.00 log10), 10,000 copies per ml (4.00 log10) and one negative control. RESULTS: From 35 laboratories that received the panel, 32 performed the tests. The average of viral load obtained for the 5.00 log10 sample (control 1) was 4.97 +/- 0.17 and for the 4.00 log10 sample (control 2) was 4.11 +/- 0.28. All the laboratories had results lower than 400 copies for the negative control. These data suggest that the control 2 has higher standard deviation than the control 1. Statistical analysis are being carried out to evaluate the performance of individual laboratories. LESSONS LEARNED: By using NASBA technology, it was verified that samples with viral load of 4.00 log10 have higher standard deviation than samples with 5.00 log10. A Quality Assurance Program is of considerable importance to evaluate the performance of the Brazilian viral load laboratories network.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- AIDS Serodiagnosis
- Animals
- Brazil
- CD4 Lymphocyte Count
- HIV-1
- Humans
- Laboratories
- Laboratory Techniques and Procedures
- Quality Control
- RNA, Viral
- Self-Sustained Sequence Replication
- Viral Load
- organization & administration
- virology
Other ID:
UI: 102231626
From Meeting Abstracts