Evaluation of the use of real-time PCR for human T cell lymphotropic virus 1 and 2 as a confirmatory test in screening for blood donors.
BACKGROUND
HTLV-1/2 screening among blood donors commonly utilizes an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EIA), followed by a confirmatory method such as Western blot (WB) if the EIA is positive. However, this algorithm yields a high rate of inconclusive results, and is expensive.


METHODS
Two qualitative real-time PCR assays were developed to detect HTLV-1 and 2, and a total of 318 samples were tested (152 blood donors, 108 asymptomatic carriers, 26 HAM/TSP patients and 30 seronegative individuals).


RESULTS
The sensitivity and specificity of PCR in comparison with WB results were 99.4% and 98.5%, respectively. PCR tests were more efficient for identifying the virus type, detecting HTLV-2 infection and defining inconclusive cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Because real-time PCR is sensitive and practical and costs much less than WB, this technique can be used as a confirmatory test for HTLV in blood banks, as a replacement for WB.
Andrade
Rafaela Gomes
RG
Minas Gerais State Blood Center, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Ribeiro
Maísa Aparecida
MA
Namen-Lopes
Maria Sueli Silva
MS
Silva
Sônia Mara Nunes
SM
Basques
Fernando Valadares
FV
Ribas
João Gabriel
JG
Carneiro-Proietti
Anna Bárbara de Freitas
AB
Martins
Marina Lobato
ML
D001782:Blood Donors; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; 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*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004279:DNA, Viral