Sensitivity and specificity of dried blood spot samples for hepatitis C virus RNA testing.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Dried blood spot (DBS) samples can improve access to hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing among hard-to-reach and underserved populations. We conducted a multicentre diagnostic accuracy study to evaluate the clinical performance of the Abbott RealTime HCV assay on the m2000 platform for detecting HCV RNA, using a standardized DBS collection and elution protocol.

Methods

The study was conducted at four sites in Cameroon, Rwanda, Georgia and Greece. DBS prepared from capillary and venous blood samples were collected from three target populations; individuals at risk of HCV infection, persons living with HCV, and individuals previously treated for HCV. Plasma samples tested on the Abbott m2000 platform served as the reference standard.

Results

A total of 936 partic

SUBMITTER: Malobela A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12831382 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature