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Master of Public Health

Detection of influenza by real time RT-PCR is not affected by delays in respiratory specimen processing.

AUTHORS

Dare R , Zhu Y , Williams JV , Griffin M , Talbot HK , . Journal of medical virology. 2016 4 18; ().
  • NIHMSID: 7705876

ABSTRACT

Sample processing for real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) based diagnostic assays requires stabilizing sample ribonucleic acid (RNA) in lysis buffer prior to testing. The stability of viral RNA prior to processing is difficult to assure. It is unknown if clinical sample integrity is compromised by delays in processing, as may occur due to weekends and holidays. We sought to examine the integrity of respiratory specimens with variable processing times.

Sample processing for real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) based diagnostic assays requires stabilizing sample ribonucleic acid (RNA) in lysis buffer prior to testing. The stability of viral RNA prior to processing is difficult to assure. It is unknown if clinical sample integrity is compromised by delays in processing, as may occur due to weekends and holidays. We sought to examine the integrity of respiratory specimens with variable processing times.

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