title: Evaluation of the Automated QIAsymphony SP/AS Workflow for Cytomegalovirus DNA Extraction and Amplification from Dried Blood Spots.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) can be considered the most important agent of congenital infection. Long-term sequelae of congenital infection occur in about 15% of infants asymptomatic at birth. To avoid long-term sequelae or to reduce their burden, it is necessary to identify infected children for early interventions. CMV DNA can be detected in dried blood spots (DBSs). DBSs have been used in several studies for the retrospective diagnosis of congenital CMV (CCMV). It has been proposed to use DBSs for the newborn screening of CMV infection; however, manual methods are not suitable for newborn screening of CCMV.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated in an off-label application the use of an automated instrument, the QIAsymphony SP/AS, in combination with the artus CMV QS-RGQ kit and the RotorGene Q real-time polymerase chain reaction system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed 100 DBSs from newborns positive or negative for plasma CMV DNA with a 94% concordance in positive samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We show that the QIAsymphony SP/AS and RotorGene Q workflow is suitable for CMV DNA extraction and detection from DBSs and that the system correctly identified newborns at risk of late sequelae due to CMV infection.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali, Università Federico II Napoli, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spalletti-Cernia
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbato
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vallefuoco
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Costanzo
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannattasio
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raimondi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzarella
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Mattia
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Portella
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D059788:Dried Blood Spot Testing / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019562:Viral Load / Q000235:genetics; D057188:Workflow
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral