Comparative evaluation of the QIAGEN QIAsymphony® SP system and bioMérieux NucliSens easyMAG automated extraction platforms in a clinical virology laboratory.
BACKGROUND
The QIAGEN QIAsymphony(®) SP is an automated system that can process a variety of different sample types for nucleic acid extraction.


OBJECTIVE
To compare this system against the bioMérieux NucliSens easyMAG using a range of common clinical sample types.


METHODS
Nucleic acid extracts were tested on 6 in-house real time viral PCR assays: quantitative cytomegalovirus (CMV); respiratory and enteric multiplex (10 viruses); influenza A H1N1 2009 specific H1 and N1 assays (sH1/N1); herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1, HSV 2 and varicella zoster virus (VZV) multiplex; norovirus genogroups I and II (Noro GI/II) multiplex.


RESULTS
Extraction of the clinical sample by either QIAsymphony(®) SP or NucliSens easyMAG gave similar results for each PCR; CMV viral loads, 52 plasma samples had a mean difference (easyMAG-QIAsymphony(®)) of 0.002 log(10)copies/ml (s.d. 0.536), 52 whole blood samples had a mean difference of -0.232 log(10)copies/ml (s.d. 0.490). Concordance for the qualitative assays were; 64/67 (95.5%) for the respiratory and enteric multiplex, all 28 (100%) for the sH1, sN1 and influenza A matrix multiplex, 33/34 (97%) for the HSV1/HSV2/VZV multiplex and all 15 (100%) for the Noro GI/II. Inter- and intra-run variation, determined for a 10-fold dilution series of CMV (5.20-3.20 log(10)copies/ml), was less than 0.63 log(10)copies/ml.


CONCLUSIONS
Our evaluation found the performance of the QIAsymphony(®) SP comparable to the NucliSens easyMAG for a range of sample types commonly extracted in a clinical virology laboratory. In total, 331/343 (96.5%) PCR results were concordant on samples extracted by both platforms.
Department of Infection (HPA Lead Microbiology Laboratory for London), Barts and The London NHS Trust, London, E1 2ES, UK.
Adele V
AV
Lee
Claire
C
Atkinson
Rohini J
RJ
Manuel
Duncan A
DA
Clark
D001331:Automation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic