Commutability of the Epstein-Barr virus WHO international standard across two quantitative PCR methods.

The commutability of international reference standards is critical for ensuring quantitative agreement across different viral load assays. Here, we demonstrate the commutability of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) WHO international standard for the BamHI-W and artus EBV assays.

Clinical significance of low cytomegalovirus DNA levels in human plasma.

The clinical significance of the detection of low copy numbers of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in immune-suppressed patients remains unclear. In this study, we compared the artus CMV Rotor-Gene PCR, utilizing an automated nucleic acid extraction and assay setup (the artus CMV protocol), with the COBAS Amplicor CMV Monitor test (our reference protocol). We then analyzed the results of all CMV PCR tests ordered following the implementation of the artus CMV protocol at our institution and followed 91 adult patients with positive test results. The artus CMV protocol had a linear range extending from 2.0 to 7.0 log(10) copies/ml and had a lower limit of 95% detection of 57 copies/ml. With archived plasma samples, this protocol demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 94% specificity for the detection of CMV DNA. Following implementation of the artus CMV protocol, 320 of 1,403 (22.8%) plasma samples tested positive (compared with 323/3,579 [9.0%] samples in the preceding 6 months), and 227 (16.2%) samples had copy numbers of <400/ml. Ninety-one adult patients had at least one positive test. The data were analyzed using a threshold of 200 copies/ml, and in 22 episodes, the viral load increased from <200 copies/ml to ≥ 200 copies/ml on sequential tests. In 21 of these 22 episodes, either the viral load continued to increase or antiviral treatment was initiated in response to the repeat value. In summary, we evaluate the performance characteristics of a protocol utilizing the artus CMV PCR and identify clinically meaningful changes in CMV DNA copy numbers even when they are initially detected at a low level.

Targeted deep sequencing of cell-free DNA in serous body cavity fluids with malignant, suspicious, and benign cytology.

BACKGROUND: Liquid biopsy using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) presents new opportunities for solid tumor genotyping. While studies have demonstrated the utility of cfDNA from plasma, cfDNA from other body fluids remains underexplored. METHODS: We evaluated the molecular features and clinicopathologic correlates of cfDNA from serous body cavity fluids by performing hybrid capture-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) on cfDNA isolated from residual effusion supernatants. Twenty-one serous effusions from pleural (n = 15), peritoneal (n = 5), and pericardial (n = 1) cavity were analyzed. RESULTS: The supernatants provided a median cfDNA concentration of 10.3 ng/µL. Notably, all effusions were sequenced successfully to a median depth >1000×, revealing a broad range of genetic alterations including single nucleotide variants, small insertions and deletions, amplifications, and fusions. Specifically, pathogenic alterations were identified in all malignant fluids (13/13), all fluids suspicious for malignancy (2/2), and 1 benign fluid (1/6) from a patient with metastatic cancer. To validate our findings, we examined matching results from 11 patients who underwent additional testing using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens. In 8 patients, the paired results between FFPE and supernatant testing were concordant, whereas in the remaining 3 patients, supernatant analysis identified additional variants likely associated with resistance to targeted therapies. Additional comparison between FFPE and supernatant testing showed no difference in DNA concentration (P = .5), depth of coverage (P = .6), or allele frequency of pathogenic mutations (P = .7). CONCLUSION: cfDNA isolated from serous body cavity fluids represents a promising source of genomic input for targeted NGS.

HIV-1 integrase sequence variability in antiretroviral naïve patients and in triple-class experienced patients subsequently treated with raltegravir.

Viruses were sequenced from 75 antiretroviral therapy (ARV)-naïve and from 75 ARV-treated patients who subsequently received a raltegravir-containing regimen. No major integrase inhibitor (INI)-resistance mutations were present in the 150 integrase (IN) sequences. Four ARV-naïve (5.3%) and two ARV-treated patients (2.7%) had one of the following minor INI-resistance mutations: L74M, E157Q, G163R, and R263K but there was no association between baseline raltegravir genotype and subsequent response to raltegravir treatment. We also combined our sequences with 4170 previously published group M IN sequences from INI-naïve patients to assess IN sequence variability and compared our findings with those of a study we performed in 2008 using data from 1563 patients. The number of polymorphic IN positions increased from 40% to 41% between the two studies. However, none of the major INI-resistance mutations was found to be polymorphic in either study and there were no significant changes in the prevalence of any of the minor INI-resistance mutations.