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Department

Microbiology

Preferred Sample Type

Hepatitis C viral load

Suitable Specimen Types

  • Serum
  • EDTA Whole Blood
2ml plasma

Turnaround Time

5 days

Hepatitis C viral load

General Information

The Alinity m HCV assay is an in vitro reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for the quantitation of hepatitis C viral (HCV) RNA from HCV-infected individuals over the range of 12 to 100,000,000 IU/ml. It is a dual probe assay within a highly conserved target region of the virus with comprehensive coverage of all genotypes.

 

Assay range 12-100000000IU/ml

Patient Preparation

For taking blood samples we recommend that users follow either their local protocols or “The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures”.

  • Sufficient blood for the test should be drawn into an EDTA vacuum tube
  • Invert tube 8–10 times.

Notes

Debris within serum specimens (e.g. clots, fibrin strands) may interfere with sample processing as a result of insufficient mixing on draw

Specifications

  • EQA Scheme?: Yes
  • EQA Status: QCMD & NEQAS