HIV1 RNA Quantitation

The UW Clinical Virology Laboratory in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology incorporates the FDA approved Roche cobas® HIV-1 quantitative assay for the detection and quantitation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in EDTA plasma using real-time PCR amplification.

The range of quantitation of HIV-1 RNA is 20 to 10,000,000 copies/mL (33 to 1.67 x 107 International Units/mL).

The Roche cobas® HIV-1 quantitative assay uses primers specific for the HIV-1 gag gene and the HIV-1 LTR region (dual target).

Blood: EDTA plasma or PPT

Unacceptable: plasma from GREEN TOP (Heparin), YELLOW (ACD) or GRAY (Oxylate) and serum (No RED TOP)

Blood: Centrifugation upon arrival, remove plasma from cells.

Plasma may be stored and/or transported:

2°C to 8°C for up to 6 days
-18°C ± 2°C for up to 12 weeks
-75°C ± 15°C for long term storage up to 6 months. Avoid multiple freeze/thaw cycles.

Outside Laboratory: Plasma may be stored at 2°C to 8°C for up to 6 days after collection. To ensure testing is completed within this 6-day window, shipment time should not exceed 48 hours from the time of collection, and samples should be shipped on wet ice (ice pack). Alternatively, samples can be frozen at -18°C or colder and shipped on dry ice for extended preservation.