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Abstract Details
Real world application of the Xpert® HBV Viral Load assay on serum and dried blood spots
J Med Virol. 2020 Nov 11. doi: 10.1002/jmv.26662. Online ahead of print.
Kathy Jackson1, Rosemary Tekoaua2, Xin Li1, Stephen Locarnini1
Author information
1Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Royal Melbourne Hospital and WHO Regional Reference Laboratory for Hepatitis B/D, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Victoria, Australia.
2Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Tungaru Central Hospital, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati.
Abstract
As we strive towards the WHO goal of elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, implementation of reliable, accurate diagnostic assays is crucial to identify those at risk of disease progression and those at risk of transmission. Ironically those at greatest risk of chronic hepatitis B are often in resource-poor regions with limited access to testing, collection, storage and/or transportation of peripheral blood. The Xpert® HBV Viral Load assay provides an easy to use, convenient means of measuring load on GeneXpert platforms. In this study the Xpert assay is evaluated against four commercially available high-throughput assays for HBV loads. In addition application of dried blood spots (DBS) for estimation of viral load is assessed on real-world samples collected from a remote Pacific Island, Kiribati. 107 serum/plasma samples were tested in the Xpert HBV load assay and compared to the Abbott m2000, Alinity m and Roche Cobas CAP/CTM and 6800. Fifty-three DBS were tested in the Xpert assay and compared to matching serum samples. Overall 82% serum/plasma samples demonstrated good correlation between the Xpert and Roche and Abbott assays, to within 0.5 log10 IU/mL. The greatest discrepancies were seen at the limits of quantification of all assays. 85.4% DBS gave estimable viral loads to within 1 log10 IU/mL of the serum load. The Xpert HBV viral load assay is recommended for all settings but particularly useful for resource-poor settings. Utility of DBS with the Xpert assay provides a simple means for testing in remote settings.