title: Performance of the Real-Q EBV Quantification Kit for Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Quantification in Whole Blood.
abstract: There has been increasing interest in standardized and quantitative Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA testing for the management of EBV disease. We evaluated the performance of the Real-Q EBV Quantification Kit (BioSewoom, Korea) in whole blood (WB). Nucleic acid extraction and real-time PCR were performed by using the MagNA Pure 96 (Roche Diagnostics, Germany) and 7500 Fast real-time PCR system (Applied Biosystems, USA), respectively. Assay sensitivity, linearity, and conversion factor were determined by using the World Health Organization international standard diluted in EBV-negative WB. We used 81 WB clinical specimens to compare performance of the Real-Q EBV Quantification Kit and artus EBV RG PCR Kit (Qiagen, Germany). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for the Real-Q kit were 453 and 750 IU/mL, respectively. The conversion factor from EBV genomic copies to IU was 0.62. The linear range of the assay was from 750 to 10⁶ IU/mL. Viral load values measured with the Real-Q assay were on average 0.54 log₁₀ copies/mL higher than those measured with the artus assay. The Real-Q assay offered good analytical performance for EBV DNA quantification in WB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Medicine, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Youn
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Medicine, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Ae
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung Keun
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam Yong
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. changski@skku.edu.
authors.forename: Chang Seok
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ki
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
keywords: Epstein-Barr virus; Performance; Quantification; Real-time PCR; Whole blood