title: Ebola virus disease diagnosis by real-time RT-PCR: A comparative study of 11 different procedures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The diagnosis of Ebola virus disease relies on the detection of viral RNA in blood by real-time reverse-transcription PCR. While several of these assays were developed during the unprecedented 2013-2015 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa, few were applied in the field.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare technical performances and practical aspects of 11 Ebola virus real-time reverse-transcription PCR procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected the most promising assays using serial dilutions of culture-derived Ebola virus RNA and determined their analytical sensitivity and potential range of quantification using quantified in vitro transcribed RNA; viral load values in the serum of an Ebola virus disease patient obtained with these assays were reported. Finally, ease of use and turnaround times of these kits were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Commercial assays were at least as sensitive as in-house tests. Five of the former (Altona, Roche, Fast-track Diagnostics, and Life Technologies) were selected for further evaluation. Despite differences in analytical sensitivity and limits of quantification, all of them were suitable for Ebola virus diagnosis and viral load estimation. The Lifetech Lyophilized Ebola Virus (Zaire 2014) assay (Life Technologies) appeared particularly promising, displaying the highest analytical sensitivity and shortest turnaround time, in addition to requiring no reagent freezing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Commercial kits were at least as sensitive as in-house tests and potentially easier to use in the field than the latter. This qualitative comparison of real-time reverse transcription PCR assays may serve as a basis for the design of future Ebola virus disease diagnostics.
authors.affiliation: Swiss National Reference Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Laboratory of Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cherpillod
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: manuel.schibler@hcuge.ch.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schibler
authors.affiliation: Swiss National Reference Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Laboratory of Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gaël
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vieille
authors.affiliation: Swiss National Reference Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Laboratory of Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cordey
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mamin
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vetter
authors.affiliation: Swiss National Reference Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Laboratory of Virology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaiser
mesh_terms: D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
keywords: Analytical sensitivity; Diagnosis; Ebola virus; RNA quantification; Real-time RT-PCR