Evaluation of two detection methods of microorganisms in platelet concentrates

Background: The performance of a bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was evaluated and validated with an automated culture system to determine its use for screening of platelet concentrates (PCs). Study Design and Methods: PCs were spiked with suspensions of Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus epidermidis and St. aureus at 1, 10, and 100 colony‐forming units (CFUs) mL and stored for 5 days. DNA amplification was performed using real‐time PCR. The BacT/ALERT was used as a reference method and samples were inoculated into an aerobic culture bottle; for the PCR assay, aliquots were drawn from all (spiked) PCs on days 0 to 5 of storage. Results: Real‐time PCR detected only the gram‐positive bacteria in PCs spiked with low bacterial titres (1 CFU mL) after 48 h; however, it was able to detect all positive samples in PCs spiked with 10 CFU mL of either gram‐positive or gram‐negative bacteria after 48 h. In addition, real‐time PCR detected all positive samples in PCs spiked with high gram‐positive bacterial titres (100 CFU mL) after 24 h. On the other hand, the BacT/ALERT system showed positive results in all samples within 24 h. Conclusion: The BacT/ALERT method is more sensitive and should continue to be the gold standard for identifying bacterial contaminations in blood samples. The real‐time PCR approach can be used for the screening of PCs for microbial detection before they are released from blood centres or shortly before they are used in blood transfusion, and thus allow an extended shelf life of the platelets.     

实时定量逆转录PCR在白血病标志物检测中的应用

目的 建立实时定量逆转录PCR（RQ-RT-PCR）检测各种急慢性白血病的特征性分子生物学标志物,评价其在疾病诊断和微小残留病（MRD）监测中的意义.方法 设计TaqMan探针和引物,建立RQ-RT-PCR法对各种融合基因转录本和ABL阳性模板进行扩增,并检测177份白血病标本的转录本含量,同时做细胞遗传学检查.结果 RQ-RT-PCR法最低可检测到10个拷贝/μl的阳性模板,但重复性较差,而（10^8～10^2）拷贝/μl的重复性良好,正常对照无扩增信号.与细胞遗传学相比,RQRT-PCR的敏感性和特异性更强,对白血病标志物的阳性检出率更高.对12例不同类型白血病患者的MRD随访监测表明：患者体内融合基因转录本的含量随病情进展逐渐升高,随病情好转逐渐下降,并且早于细胞遗传学预测疾病复发.结论 RQ-RT-PCR方法更敏感、可靠,与疾病的关系更密切,可用于白血病的诊断和MRD随访.     

Efficiency of diversion of the first aliquot of blood and prestorage leukoreduction for preventing bacterial contamination in red blood cell concentrates assessed using a rapid polymerase chain reaction-based bacterial detection system

Objectives: Sepsis caused by the bacterial contamination of blood products is a major infection risk associated with blood transfusion. Diversion of the initial 25 mL of blood and prestorage leukoreduction were implemented in Japan in 2007 for all donated blood products. We assessed the efficacy of these new collection procedures in preventing bacterial contamination of red blood cell (RBC) concentrates. Methods: Broad‐range 16S ribosomal RNA polymerase chain reaction was used to determine bacterial contamination in segment samples of RBCs before and after implementation of the new collection procedures. To evaluate whether these new procedures reduced bacterial contamination, we compared bacterial contamination rates of blood samples from diversion pouches with those of segment samples from the same donor's RBCs. Results: The rate of bacterial contamination of RBCs before implementation of the new collection procedures was 1·27%. Most of the isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus epidermidis or Propionibacterium acnes. After implementation, this rate was significantly reduced to 0·10%. Of the 233 whole blood samples obtained from the Mie Red Cross Blood Center, 1·72% of blood samples from diversion pouches were contaminated, but no bacterial contamination was detected in segment samples from the same donor's RBCs after prestorage leukoreduction. Conclusions: The new collection procedure significantly reduced bacterial contamination of RBC concentrates.     

Epidemiological investigation of feline infectious peritonitis in cats living in Harbin,Northeast China from 2017 to 2019 using a combination of an EvaGreen-based real-time RT-PCR and serum chemistry assays

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is caused by the FIP virus (FIPV), a highly virulent mutant form of feline coronavirus (FCoV). This disease is one of the most important infectious diseases in cats, and it is associated with high mortality, particularly among younger cats. In this study, we isolated a wild-type FIPV HRB-17 epidemic strain from the blood sample of household pet cat exhibiting the characteristic wet-form FIP symptoms, which has been confirmed further by animal infection. Further, we developed an EvaGreen-based real-time RT-PCR assay for the accurate detection of FCoV based on the amplification of the highly conserved FIPV N gene. Then, using a combination of the real-time RT-PCR approach and a serum chemistry assay, we performed an epidemiological survey of FIPV infection in cats living in Harbin City, Northeast China. The results indicated that the EvaGreen-based real-time RT-PCR assay can be used for screening FCoV infection in the affected cats at an analytical detection limit of 8.2 × 10¹ viral genome copies/μL, but could not effectively distinguish FIPVs from FECVs. Additionally, the results of the epidemiological survey investigating feline blood samples (n = 1523) collected between July 2017 to July 2019 revealed an FIPV prevalence of approximately 12% (189/1523). Maybe, the prevalence would be less than 12% due to the real-time RT-PCR assay could not accurately differentiate FIPV and FECV. Nevertheless, it still highlighted the severity of the FIP epidemic in cats and reiterated the urgent need to develop effective anti-FIP therapeutic agents and anti-FIPV vaccines. As pet cats are household animals, risk communication and continuous region-extended surveillance cat programs are recommended.