Effects of anticoagulants and storage of blood samples on efficacy of the polymerase chain reaction assay for hepatitis C virus

J Clin Microbiol. 1992 Mar;30(3):750-3. doi: 10.1128/jcm.30.3.750-753.1992.

Abstract

Blood samples from 11 patients with posttransfusion hepatitis C virus infection were collected. Each sample was divided into three fractions to obtain sera, sodium-citrated plasma, and heparinized plasma and then tested for HCV RNA by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of them, eight sodium-citrated plasma samples, seven serum samples, and no heparinized plasma samples were PCR positive. Eight PCR-positive sodium-citrated plasma samples were exposed to different physical conditions and semiquantified for HCV RNA after serial dilutions. Samples stored at -70 degrees C showed the best preservation of HCV RNA, and storage at the other conditions resulted in only minimal loss of the PCR signal. Therefore, serum or sodium-citrated plasma specimens are satisfactory for detecting HCV RNA by PCR, but heparinized blood specimens are not.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anticoagulants
  • Base Sequence
  • Blood Preservation
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / isolation & purification*
  • Hepatitis C / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • RNA, Viral / blood*
  • RNA, Viral / genetics

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • RNA, Viral