Quality-Control Products for West Nile Virus

A training and qualification panel for West Nile virus comprises 12 positive and three negative members from 10,000 to 30 copies/ml of West Nile Virus RNA. The panel is designed for use in routine quality control by laboratories.

The panel was prepared by diluting West Nile virus stock, lineage 2 (Uganda), isolated from an infected individual and amplified in cell culture. The culture-derived virus was heat-treated at 60o C for 60 minutes then diluted in a proprietary defibrinated human plasma product (Basematrix). Quality control products such as this allow laboratories to monitor day-to-day test variation, lot-to-lot acceptance of test kits, and operator performance, says Boston Biomedica, Inc. (MA, USA), which developed the panel.

West Nile virus has been found in humans and birds in Africa, Eastern Europe, West Asia, and the Middle East. "West Nile virus has already spread throughout most of the United States and there is evidence that the virus can be spread through blood transfusion,” noted Alan Doty, product manager, Boston Biomedica. "As with any other potentially deadly virus, it's imperative that we implement a process that will keep our blood supply safe.”




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Boston Biomedica