title: Use of Sno Strip filter-paper wicks for collection of genital-tract samples allows reproducible determination of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA viral load with a commercial HIV-1 viral load assay.
abstract: To assess the reproducibility of measurements of cervical and vaginal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral load, 92 duplicate cervical and 88 duplicate vaginal samples were collected from 13 HIV-infected women using Sno Strip filter-paper wicks. RNA was eluted from the strips, extracted, and assayed using a modified protocol for the Roche Cobas Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor assay. Pearson's correlation coefficient (R), coefficient of determination (D), and Bland-Altman plots (BA) were used to compare paired log10-transformed viral loads. Analysis of duplicate same-site samples showed good reproducibility (cervix: R = 0.72, D = 52%, BA = 89% within range; vagina: R = 0.72, D = 51%, BA = 87% within range); paired cervix/vagina measurements showed moderate correlation only (R = 0.56; D = 31.3%). Standardized sample collection and simple modification of the Roche Cobas Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor assay allows reproducible measurement of genital viral load.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Virology and Reference Laboratory, Providence Health Care, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada. csherloc@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: Christopher H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Sherlock
authors.forename: Paula M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lott
authors.forename: Deborah M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Money
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Merrick
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arikan
authors.forename: Valencia P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Remple
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Craib
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Burdge
mesh_terms: D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000821:virology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014599:Uterus / Q000821:virology; D014773:Virology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral