Evaluation of a new HTLV-I/II polymerase chain reaction.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of a qualitative HTLV-I/II DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the detection of HTLV-I/II DNA (Roche Diagnostic Systems, Branchburg, N.J., USA) in various panels.


METHODS
The panels consisted of fresh EDTA blood samples from blood donors who were anti-HTLV-I/II ELISA repeatably reactive: 53 were Western blot (WB) positive, 228 were WB indeterminate and 15 were WB negative. Elevent ELISA-negative blood donors were used as negative controls. Furthermore, specimens from 1 HTLV-II-infected intravenous drug user and from 1 HTLV-II-infected blood donor were included in the panel. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were prepared by red blood cell lysis with the Roche washing solution and stored at < -23 degrees C until processing. Amplification products were analyzed with the HTLV-I/II detection kit.


RESULTS
All 53 anti-HTLV-I/II ELISA- and WB-positive samples and both HTLV-II-positive samples tested positively by PCR. All 228 anti-HTLV-I/II ELISA-positive and WB-indeterminate, all 15 ELISA-positive and WB-negative and all II ELISA-negative control samples tested negative by PCR.


CONCLUSIONS
The Roche Amplicor HTLV-I/II test is a simple test, suitable for the confirmation of HTLV-I and-II infection in individuals with indeterminate or positive WB patterns.
Vrielink
H
H
Red Cross Blood Bank Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Zaaijer
H L
HL
Cuypers
H T
HT
van der Poel
C L
CL
Woerdeman
M
M
Lelie
P N
PN
Winkel
C
C
Reesink
H W
HW
D001782:Blood Donors; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000592:standards*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic