title: Clinical utility of viral quantification as a tool for disease monitoring.
abstract: The possibility to detect viral DNA or RNA in a quantitative manner has already contributed significantly to the management and diagnosis of viral infections, as well as to the understanding of virus-host interactions. New developments in amplification techniques based on real-time detection, as well as automation of the whole process, will soon be introduced in a diagnostic laboratory setting, thereby enabling a rapid turnaround time to generate both quantitative and qualitative results. New guidelines for disease management, as well as extensive quality control and standardization programs must be introduced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University Hospital Rotterdam, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schutten
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Niesters
mesh_terms: D002624:Chemistry, Clinical / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011786:Quality Control; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA