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Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, November 2002, p. 1385-1388, Vol. 9, No. 6
1071-412X/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/CDLI.9.6.1385-1388.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Fully Automated Detection of Hepatitis C Virus RNA in Serum and Whole-Blood Samples

Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Institute of Hygiene, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, A-8010 Graz,¹ Roche Applied Science, A-1211 Vienna,² Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Graz, A-8036 Graz Austria³

Received 28 February 2002/ Returned for modification 18 June 2002/ Accepted 4 July 2002

In this study, we established a fully automated molecular assay for qualitative detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in serum and whole-blood samples and compared it with conventional molecular assays, including manual HCV RNA extraction protocols. Whole-blood samples were collected from patients with and without chronic HCV infection in EDTA tubes and nucleic acid stabilization tubes (NASTs). Prior to HCV RNA extraction, the HCV Internal Control (IC), derived from the COBAS AMPLICOR HCV test, version 2.0 (Roche Molecular Diagnostics), was added. The new assay was based on an automated extraction protocol on the MagNA Pure LC instrument (Roche Applied Science), followed by automated reverse transcription, amplification, hybridization, and detection on the Cobas Amplicor analyzer (Roche Molecular Diagnostics). The detection limit of the new assay was found to be similar to those of conventional molecular assays. In clinical samples, 100% agreement between the new assay and conventional methods was observed. The introduced amount of IC was detected in 45 of 45 serum samples, 41 of 45 EDTA tube whole-blood samples, and 43 of 45 NAST whole-blood samples. Retesting led to more frequent IC detection. The fully automated molecular assay was found to be suitable for detection of HCV RNA in different kinds of sample materials. It may be recommended for use in the high-throughput routine molecular diagnostic laboratory.

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