Transience of interference in an immunoassay measuring serum levels of beta-D-glucan.

Some sera tested for 1-3-beta-D-glucan to identify invasive fungal infections exhibit interference. To assess interference transience, we evaluated results for 426 patients with an interference sample followed by a later sample. Interference was transient for 73% of patients (later sample negative or positive); median time between samples was 8 days.

Evaluation of Transport Media and Specimen Transport Conditions for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 by Use of Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR.

The global coronavirus (CoV) disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a worldwide shortage of viral transport media and raised questions about specimen stability. The objective of this study was to determine the stability of severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in specimen transport media under various storage conditions. Transport media tested included UTM, UTM-RT, ESwab, M4, and saline (0.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) IgG index values in two immunoassays in relation to HSV-2 IgG inhibition assay results.

CDC guidelines recommend confirmatory testing of sera with low-positive indices (1.10-3.50) in the HerpeSelect® (HSLT) HSV-2 IgG screening assay.

Q fever: an under-reported reportable communicable disease.

The objective of this study was to provide real-world clinical laboratory-based data to supplement Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting of Q fever. We analysed titre results of specimens submitted to a large US clinical laboratory for Coxiella burnetii IgG antibody testing from 2010 through 2016. Presumptive Q fever was defined as acute (phase II IgG titre ⩾1:128, phase I titre <1:1024) or chronic (phase I IgG titre ⩾1:1024), based on the results from a single serum specimen.

A kidney transplant recipient with renal medullary viral cytopathic changes.

We present a case of JC polyomavirus (JCV)-associated nephropathy (PyVAN) in an asymptomatic deceased-donor kidney transplant recipient. Despite the presence of viral cytopathic effect in the kidney biopsy and positive BK polyomavirus (BKV) in situ hybridization (ISH), BKV real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results of plasma and urine were negative. JCV ISH was performed and was found to be positive.

The Simplexa™ Group A Strep Direct Assay: a sample-to-answer molecular assay for the diagnosis of group A streptococcal pharyngitis.

The Simplexa™ Group A Strep Direct assay is intended for use on the Integrated Cycler for detection of Group A Streptococcus (GAS) directly from throat swabs that have not undergone nucleic acid extraction. A prospective study of 1352 samples in 4 geographically diverse sites showed an overall prevalence of GAS of 15.4%.

Chikungunya virus RNA and antibody testing at a National Reference Laboratory since the emergence of Chikungunya virus in the Americas.

Since first reported in the Americas in December 2013, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections have been documented in travelers returning from the Caribbean, with many cases identified by CHIKV antibody and/or RNA testing at our laboratory. We used our large data set to characterize the relationship between antibody titers and RNA detection and to estimate IgM persistence. CHIKV RNA was measured by nucleic acid amplification and CHIKV IgG/IgM by indirect immunofluorescence.