Anon ; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1991 Jun 16-21; 7: 119 (abstract no. M.A.1110).
France
OBJECTIVES: 1) To determine the specificity, the sensitivity and the reproductibility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to detect HIV DNA in different French laboratories. 2) To reach a consensus on conditions of PCR assay in HIV infection. METHODS: Samples of frozen lymphocytes (8 to 10 x 10(6) cells per sample) collected from 20 individuals were studied by 9 French laboratories using PCR assay for diagnosis of HIV infection. These 20 individuals included symptomless HIV-1 seropositive subjects (used as positive controls), seronegative at-risk individuals, individuals with an isolated and persistent anti-p24 antibody and seronegative individuals at low risk of HIV infection (used as negative controls). The 9 laboratories worked on coded samples and used three primer pairs. Each laboratory used its own primer pairs, probes and specific conditions for PCR assay. The results were to be given at the end of a three month period. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In this quality control, laboratories worked on lymphocytes (and not on the DNA) to compare the differences possibly linked to the DNA extraction method. The results of this study underlined the necessity for quality control between laboratories using PCR assay in the diagnosis of HIV infection. Discrepancies between laboratories can exist. This multicentric quality control allowed a determination of the best conditions of sensitivity for using PCR assay in the diagnosis of HIV infection. CONCLUSIONS: The use of PCR for HIV diagnosis needs entirely dependable methods which require the participation of the laboratories to a quality control.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- DNA
- DNA Primers
- DNA, Viral
- HIV Infections
- HIV-1
- Laboratories
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Quality Control
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- analysis
Other ID:
UI: 102182674
From Meeting Abstracts