title: Absolute quantification of viral DNA: the quest for perfection.
abstract: In spite of the impressive technical refinement of the PCR technology, new-generation real-time PCR assays still suffer from two major limitations: the impossibility to control both for PCR artifacts (with the important caveat of false-negative results) and for the efficiency of nucleic acid recovery during the preliminary extraction phase of DNA from the biological sample. The calibrator technology developed at the Unit of Human Virology overcomes both of these limitations, leading to a substantially higher degree of accuracy and reproducibility in the quantification, which is especially useful for the measurement of pathogen loads in sequential samples and for the reliable detection of low-copy pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Human Virology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, Fondazione Centro San Raffaele, via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Mauro Severo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Malnati
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral