Multicenter evaluation of a semiautomated, standardized assay for detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in blood donations.
We evaluated the COBAS Ampliscreen hepatitis B virus (HBV) test using standards, seroconversion panels, consecutive donations, and samples from patients with abnormal alanine aminotransferase and chronic hepatitis C. Specificity was 100% and sensitivity was 20 IU/ml. In seroconversion panels, HBV DNA was detected up to 4 to 18 days before HBsAg, suggesting that this assay is useful in shortening the infectious window phase.
Romanò
Luisa
L
Institute of Virology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Velati
Claudio
C
Baruffi
Lorella
L
Fomiatti
Laura
L
Colucci
Giuseppe
G
Zanetti
Alessandro R
AR
D001782:Blood Donors; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens