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  • Title: Quantification of Epstein-Barr virus-DNA load in lung transplant recipients: a comparison of plasma versus whole blood.
    Author: Bakker NA, Verschuuren EA, Veeger NJ, van der Bij W, van Imhoff GW, Kallenberg CG, Hepkema BG.
    Journal: J Heart Lung Transplant; 2008 Jan; 27(1):7-10. PubMed ID: 18187080.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Monitoring of the Epstein-Barr virus-DNA load is frequently used to identify patients at risk for post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD). Epstein-Barr virus DNA can be measured in the plasma and whole blood serum compartments. METHODS: We compared levels of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in whole blood and plasma using a real-time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction assay in 100 consecutive paired whole blood and plasma samples from 25 lung and heart-lung transplant recipients with detectable whole blood Epstein-Barr virus-DNA load (>2,000 copies/ml). RESULTS: A correlation (r2) of 0.58 (p < 0.001) was observed between both measurements, whereas of the positive whole blood samples (>2,000 copies/ml), only 17 samples (18%) were also positive in plasma. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that by virtue of its sensitivity, whole blood rather than plasma may be the preferable specimen for the detection of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in lung transplant recipients.
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