GEMHEP multicenter quality control study of PCR detection of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus RNA in serum

M Bogard , C Buffet-Janvresse , J Cantaloube , P Biagini , G Duverlie , Sandrine Castelain (1) , J Izopet , M Dubois , C Defer , I Lepot , J Coste , P Marcellin , M Martinot-Peignoux , P Halfon , V Gerolami , L Frangeul , J Pawlotsky , F Roudot-Thoraval , E Dussaix , P Loiseau , N Ravera , P Lewin , J Lamoril , J Lerable , P Lebon

1 AGIR - Agents infectieux, résistance et chimiothérapie - UR UPJV 4294

PCR is, to date, the only available tool for the detection of GB virus C (GBV-C) and hepatitis G virus (HGV) RNAs. Twenty-two French laboratories participated in a quality control study to assess the sensitivity and specificity of their procedures. The panel included 13 positive controls and 7 negative controls. The laboratories used either in-house PCR techniques adapted from the literature or partly standardized commercial tests. Three laboratories performed faultlessly with the entire panel. Most laboratories had excellent specificity (100% in 20 of 22 laboratories). Sensitivity was acceptable (85 to 100%) in 15 centers and insufficient (38 to 77%) in 7. As with nonstandardized in-house PCR, the commercial assays gave discrepant performances in different laboratories. These results suggest that laboratories willing to use PCR for detection of GBV-C/HGV RNA for research or diagnostic purposes should participate in multicenter quality control trials.

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

M Bogard, C Buffet-Janvresse, J Cantaloube, P Biagini, G Duverlie, et al.. GEMHEP multicenter quality control study of PCR detection of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus RNA in serum. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 1997, 35 (12), pp.3298-3300. ⟨10.1128/jcm.35.12.3298-3300.1997⟩. ⟨hal-03613708⟩