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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Prospective evaluation of diagnostic accuracy of dried blood spots from finger prick samples for determination of HIV-1 load with the NucliSENS Easy-Q HIV-1 version 2.0 assay in Malawi
Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Volume 52, No. 5, Year 2014
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Description
HIV-1 viral load (VL) testing is not widely available in resource-limited settings. The use of finger prick dried blood spot (FP-DBS) samples could remove barriers related to sample collection and transport. Measurement of VL using DBS from EDTA venous blood (VB-DBS) in place of plasma has previously been validated using the NucliSENS Easy-Q HIV-1 v2.0 assay, but information on the accuracy of FP-DBS samples for measuring VL is limited. This prospective study, conducted at Thyolo District Hospital in southern Malawi, compared VL levels measured on FP-DBS samples and plasma using the NucliSENS Easy-Q HIV-1 v2.0 assay. Comparability was assessed by means of agreement and correlation (131 patients with VLs of ≥100 copies/ml), sensitivity, and specificity (612 patients on antiretroviral treatment [ART]). Samples of EDTA venous blood and FP-DBS from 1,009 HIV-infected individuals were collected and prepared in the laboratory. Bland-Altman analysis found good agreement between plasma and FP-DBS VL levels, with a mean difference of -0.35 log10, and 95% limits of agreement from -1.26 to 0.55 log10. FP-DBS had a sensitivity of 88.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 81.1 to 94.4%) and a specificity of 97.8% (95% CI, 96.1 to 98.9%) using a 1,000-copies/ml cut point and a sensitivity of 83.0% (95% CI, 73.4 to 90.1%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI, 99.3 to 100%) using a 5,000-copies/ml cut point. This study shows that FP-DBS is an acceptable alternative to plasma for measuring VL using the NucliSENS Easy-Q HIV-1 v2.0. We are conducting a second study to assess the proficiency of health workers at preparing FP-DBS in primary health care clinics. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Fajardo, Emmanuel
Switzerland, Geneva
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Metcalf, Carol Ann
Switzerland, Geneva
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Chaillet, Pascale
Belgium, Brussels
Medecins Sans Frontieres, Brussels
Aleixo, Lucia
Switzerland, Geneva
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Pannus, Pieter
Switzerland, Geneva
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Panunzi, Isabella
Switzerland, Geneva
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Triviño, Laura
Switzerland, Geneva
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Ellman, Tom
Switzerland, Geneva
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Likaka, Andrew
Malawi, Lilongwe
Ministry of Health Malawai
Mwenda, Reuben
Malawi, Lilongwe
Ministry of Health Malawai
Statistics
Citations: 28
Authors: 10
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1128/JCM.03519-13
ISSN:
00951137
e-ISSN:
1098660X
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Infectious Diseases
Study Design
Cohort Study
Study Locations
Malawi