title: Detection of West Nile virus RNA (lineages 1 and 2) in an external quality assessment programme for laboratories screening blood and blood components for West Nile virus by nucleic acid amplification testing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A second Italian external quality assessment programme was run in 2011 to assess the performance of blood transfusion centres in detecting West Nile virus RNA in plasma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each participant received two panels containing negative samples and samples positive for West Nile virus lineages 1 and 2, some of which with a viral concentration close to or below the 95% limit of detection of the respective commercial nucleic acid amplification test assay: the PROCLEIX WNV assay or the Cobas TaqScreen West Nile virus test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven laboratories took part in the external quality assessment programme. All of them correctly identified the positive samples with a viral concentration above the 95% limit of detection. No false positive results or pre-/post-analytical errors were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The External quality assessment programme run in 2011 allowed participants to assess the performance of the nucleic acid amplification test methods applied in their seasonal routine screening of blood donations. The results confirm the 95% limit of detection reported by the test kits' manufacturers for both West Nile virus lineages.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Immunobiologicals Research and Evaluation, ISS, Rome, Italy. giulio.pisani@iss.it
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pupella
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cristiano
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simeoni
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luciani
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scuderi
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sambri
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaibani
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierro
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wirz
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grazzini
mesh_terms: D046148:Donor Selection / Q000379:methods*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D014902:West Nile virus
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral