RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A feasibility study on the effects of Triton X-100 for the in vitro inactivation of Ebola virus on haematological assays
JF Journal of Clinical Pathology
JO J Clin Pathol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists
SP 637
OP 642
DO 10.1136/jclinpath-2015-203331
VO 69
IS 7
A1 Mifsud, Antoinette
A1 Peelen, Daphne
A1 Brincat, Patricia
A1 Abela, Sylvana
A1 Debattista, Neville
A1 Laspina, Stefan
A1 Zammit, Daniel
A1 Camilleri, David J
A1 Gatt, Alex
YR 2016
UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/69/7/637.abstract
AB Aims The aim of this study was to check the effect of Triton X-100 on various, commonly used haematology test parameters.Methods Anonymised blood samples were treated with 10 µL of 10% Triton X-100 per 1 mL of blood. Treated and untreated samples were tested in parallel for blood film morphology, complete blood counts (CBCs), flow cytometry, blood grouping and antibody screens. Samples were also taken in 3.2% citrate tubes for coagulation test analyses.Results Statistical differences were noted in all CBC parameters apart from the mean cell volume, eosinophil and basophil counts. Platelet counts were significantly different with an apparent rise after the addition of Triton X-100. Samples were noted to have a high red cell fragmentation index. Immunological platelet counting methods using flow cytometry and fluorescent methods showed no significant differences and gave reliable results. Neither flow cytometry for T-cell subsets nor blood grouping/antibody screens were affected by Triton X-100. However, coagulation samples were severely haemolysed prohibiting analysis.Conclusions We have demonstrated that the addition of Triton X-100 to haematology blood samples impacts mainly on platelet counts and coagulation studies due to haemolysis. The platelet count is spuriously raised probably due to the presence of red cell fragments. The latter can be circumvented by the use of immunological platelet counting technology.