Open AccessThe acceptability of serum sample storage for hepatitis C viral load analysis in chronic hepatitis C patients
Author(s) -
Huang YingChou,
Liu ShuFen,
Liu HungYin,
Huang ChungFeng,
Yeh MingLun,
Dai ChiaYen,
Tsai PeiChien,
Chen ShinnCherng,
Yu MingLung,
Chuang WanLong,
Huang JeeFu
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advances in digestive medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2351-9800
DOI - 10.1002/aid2.13113
Subject(s) - viral load , viral hepatitis , medicine , hepatitis c virus , hepatitis c , virology , immunology , gastroenterology , virus
The detectable time duration of stored serum sample containing hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to elucidate the viral load changes of the stored serum samples under 4°C conditions. We measured the viral loads collected from 13 patients (8 males, age = 60.5 ± 17.5 years). The samples were kept under 4°C conditions before analysis. Besides baseline viral load, the samples then were measured at days 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 after collection, respectively. The measured viral loads at different time points were compared with baseline samples by using the Abbott RealTime HCV Assay in an m2000 PCR System. The viral loads of the 13 patients ranged between 0.151 and 10 648.491 KIU/mL at baseline. There were no significant differences in viral load changes between the baseline and the samples of other time points. The differences were within 0.45 log 10 IU/mL ( P > 0.05) at different time points. The study demonstrated that serum samples kept at 4°C for 11 days were acceptable for molecular analysis.