Influence of storage temperature on the stability of HIV-1 RNA and HSV-2 DNA in cervicovaginal secretions collected by vaginal washing.
Variability in the handling of samples of genital secretions prior to quantitation of HIV-1 RNA and HSV DNA may profoundly affect both the detection and quantitation of these nucleic acids. Over 144 h, we evaluated, the influence of storage temperature (4 degrees C, 20 degrees C, 30 degrees C) on the quantity of HIV-1 RNA and HSV-2 DNA in HIV and HSV negative cervicovaginal lavage pools spiked with known amounts of HIV-1 and HSV-2 and in HIV-1 and HSV-2 co-infected cervicovaginal lavage pools. The level of viral nucleic acids remained stable at 4 degrees C for 24h but decreased significantly when cervicovaginal lavages were stored at 20 degrees C and 30 degrees C, demonstrating that, cervicovaginal lavages to be quantified for viral RNA or DNA require, at minimum, immediate storage at 4 degrees C.
Legoff
Jerome
J
Université Paris V, Equipe Immunité et Biothérapie Muqueuses, Unité INSERM Internationale U743 Immunologie Humaine, & Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, rue de l'Ecole de Médecine, Paris, France.
Tanton
Clare
C
Lecerf
Maxime
M
Grésenguet
Gérard
G
Nzambi
Khonde
K
Bouhlal
Hicham
H
Weiss
Helen
H
Belec
Laurent
L
D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D012034:Refrigeration; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D044364:Vaginal Douching
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral