What is it about?
Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is increasingly being used for the detection of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) proviral DNA. Nevertheless, quality control for the validation and standardization of such tests is currently lacking. Therefore, the present study was initiated by three Office International des Epizooties (OIE) reference laboratories and three collaborating laboratories to measure the interlaboratory variability of six already developed and available BLV qPCR assays. We found that tested qPCR assays, even when performed by experienced staff, showed large variability in BLV proviral DNA copy numbers. For that reason further standardization of different factors (i.e., utilization of unified protocols and unique calibrators) should be established to increase interlaboratory agreement.
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Why is it important?
Molecular diagnostics assays must be developed, validated and harmonized properly in order to have robust results that allow comparison among different laboratories.
Perspectives
This first interlaboratory with participants from the whole world set the bases for future collaborative works of this type. Currently five years from the original study we are performing a second study with more than 10 participants from different countries across the globe.
Juan Jaworski
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Interlaboratory Comparison of Six Real-Time PCR Assays for Detection of Bovine Leukemia Virus Proviral DNA, Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2018, ASM Journals,
DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00304-18.
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