MOLECULAR INFECTIOUS DISEASE TESTING
As part of the AGTCenter’s comprehensive testing program, highly sensitive and specific pathogen detection assays are offered to verify that human biological material is free of viral, bacterial and parasitic infection. Accepted specimens include blood, tissue biopsy, body fluids or cryopreserved material, such as material used for bio-banking, donation, and for the derivation of cell culture lines. Additionally, testing can be performed on cell cultures during cell line selection and expansion, as well as on final cell cultures and derived biological product. This process is especially useful for material used for stem cell derivation as well as stem cell lines resulting some successful selection and outgrowth.
All AGTCenter assays employ highly sensitive nested multiplex PCR, rapid fluorescent real-time PCR, and/or viral RNA detection using reverse transcription-based PCR for RNA targets. All assays include sample-derived internal positive controls (RNA and DNA) to ensure nucleic acid extraction and enzymatic amplification fidelity, eliminating false-positive results. These controls include a ubiquitous cellular mRNA for RNA-targeted detection and a unique single-copy gene sequence for DNA-targeted detection. The detection of these sample-derived positive controls also ensures that cryopreservation has not degraded sample quality. Assays can be performed in single target or panel formats. Blood, body fluids, solid tissue biopsy, cell culture, cell culture media, are all appropriate specimen types. Extraction conditions can be customized for any tissue or cell type as required.
Testing for human retroviruses i.e. HIV, HTLV, is performed using a DNA-based detection method that targets the proviral form of the virus, as it exists after chromosomal integration and as a replication intermediate. This is especially useful for the detection of latent infection and in infected cells that are not actively producing virus particles, as may be the situation in in vitro culture conditions.
This service can be utilized in combination with genome-wide SNP analysis, as described in other sections of the website.
Single Pathogen Tests*
Human herpesviruses
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV1)
Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV 2)
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
Human Herpes Virus 6 (HHV 6)
Neonatal pathogens
Streptococcus agalactiae, Group B Strep (GBS,)
Toxoplasma gondii
Enterovirus
Parvovirus B-19
Hepatitis Viruses- blood, serum, hepatic biopsy, genitourinary tract specimens:
Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
Human Retroviruses- blood, and other specimens:
HIV-1
HIV-2
HTLV-I/II
Genitourinary Tract pathogens
Chlamydia trachomatis
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Human Papillomavirus (strains 16 & 18)
Additional organism
Chlamydia pneumoniae
Panel Tests*
Human Herpesvirus Panel
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV1)
Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV 2)
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
Neonatal panel
Any of the Herpes Viruses (above), plus
Enterovirus
Group B Strep (GBS, Streptococcus agalactiae)
Toxoplasma gondii
Human Retrovirus Panel
HIV-1
HIV-2
HTLV-I/II
Sexually Transmitted Diseases- cervical swab, semen, or urine specimens:
Chlamydia trachomatis
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Human Papillomavirus (strains 16 & 18)
*All tests are performed by PCR DNA Amplification, pursuant to a licensing agreement with Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.