Background and objectives: To determine the stability of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA during transport and storage of blood samples from donors, prior to screening for HCV by nucleic acid amplification technology.
Materials and methods: Various blood and plasma sample types were stored for up to 120 h at different temperatures and the HCV RNA level was measured using an in house quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
Results: No decline in HCV RNA level was observed after 72 h of storage of whole blood at 4 degrees C in EDTA tubes (Greiner) and Plasma Preparation Tubes (PPT; Becton Dickinson), while insignificant declines of 0.2 log10 and 0. 25 log10 occurred at 25 degrees C after 72 h in the EDTA tubes and PPT tubes, respectively. When whole blood was stored with mixed anticoagulants CPDA-1 and EDTA for up to 120 h, no decline in HCV RNA level was observed at 4 degrees C and 25 degrees C, while a significant decline of 0.37 log10 occurred at 37 degrees C after 120 h. The temperature during transportation was investigated with a 12-hour period at 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C before storage at 4 degrees C for 108 h. Neither temperature resulted in any loss of HCV RNA in comparison with 120 h of storage at 4 degrees C.
Conclusion: Whole blood anticoagulated with EDTA or CPDA-1/EDTA may be stored at up to 25 degrees C (room temperature) for up to 5 days without any significant loss in plasma HCV RNA level.