Sensitive and Stable Molecular Detection of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika Viruses from Dried Blood Spots

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jaime A. Cardona-Ospina, Institución Universitaria Visión de las Américas; Victoria Stittleburg, Emory University; Natalia Millan-Benavidez, Institución Universitaria Visión de las Américas; Juliana Restrepo-Chica, Institución Universitaria Visión de las Américas; Autum Key, Emory University; Diana Marcela Rojas-Gallardo, Institución Universitaria Visión de las Américas; Anne Piantadosi, Emory University; Matthew Collins, Emory University; Jesse Waggoner, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-08-01
• Publisher: AMER SOC TROP MED & HYGIENE
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.21-1087
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
• Volume: 107
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 296
• End Page: 299
• Grant/Funding Information: This research was supported in part by the Halle Institute for Global Research and the University Research Committee of Emory University, and by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación de Colombia, (Minciencias), Contract No 419-2020.
• Keywords: Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Tropical Medicine; SAMPLES; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Science & Technology; RNA
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Biology, Genetics

Abstract

Standard molecular detection of many pathogens, in particular RNA viruses, requires appropriate handling in the field for preserving the quality of the sample until processing. This could be challenging in remote tropical areas. Dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) are RNA viruses, prominent among the causes of fever in the tropics. We aimed to test the stability of arboviral RNA in contrived dried blood spots prepared on Whatman 903 Protein saver cards as a means of sample collection and storage. We were able to detect DENV, CHIKV, and ZIKV by real-time RT-PCR up to 180 days after card inoculation with stable Ct values across the study period. Our study supports dried blood spots (DBS) on protein saver cards as a platform for stable detection of arboviral RNA of sufficient quality to be used in diagnostic RT-PCR assays and next generation sequencing.