@article {17395,
	title = {Development of a new ultra sensitive real-time PCR assay (ultra sensitive RTQ-PCR) for the quantification of HBV-DNA},
	journal = {Virol JVirol JVirol J},
	volume = {7},
	year = {2010},
	note = {Paraskevis, DimitriosBeloukas, ApostolosHaida, CatherineKatsoulidou, AntigoniMoschidis, ZisisHatzitheodorou, HelenVaraklioti, AgoritsaSypsa, VanaHatzakis, AngelosengComparative StudyEvaluation StudyResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov{\textquoteright}tEngland2010/03/17 06:00Virol J. 2010 Mar 12;7:57. doi: 10.1186/1743-422X-7-57.},
	month = {Mar 12},
	pages = {57},
	abstract = {BACKGROUND: Improved sensitivity of HBV-DNA tests is of critical importance for the management of HBV infection. Our aim was to develop and assess a new ultra sensitive in-house real-time PCR assay for HBV-DNA quantification (ultra sensitive RTQ-PCR). RESULTS: Previously used HBV-DNA standards were calibrated against the WHO 1st International Standard for HBV-DNA (OptiQuant(R) HBV-DNA Quantification Panel, Accrometrix Europe B.V.). The 95\% and 50\% HBV-DNA detection end-point of the assay were 22.2 and 8.4 IU/mL. According to the calibration results, 1 IU/mL equals 2.8 copies/mL. Importantly the clinical performance of the ultra sensitive real-time PCR was tested similar (67\%) to the Procleix Ultrio discriminatory HBV test (dHBV) (70\%) in low-titer samples from patients with occult Hepatitis B. Finally, in the comparison of ultra sensitive RTQ-PCR with the commercially available COBAS TaqMan HBV Test, the in-house assay identified 94.7\% of the 94 specimens as positive versus 90.4\% identified by TaqMan, while the quantitative results that were positive by both assay were strongly correlated (r = 0.979). CONCLUSIONS: We report a new ultra sensitive real time PCR molecular beacon based assay with remarkable analytical and clinical sensitivity, calibrated against the WHO 1st International standard.},
	keywords = {DNA, Viral/*blood, Hepatitis B virus/genetics/*isolation \& purification, Hepatitis B/*diagnosis, Humans, Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods, Sensitivity and Specificity, Viral Load/*methods},
	isbn = {1743-422X (Electronic)1743-422X (Linking)},
	author = {Paraskevis, D and Beloukas, A. and Haida, C and Katsoulidou, A and Moschidis, Z. and Hatzitheodorou, H. and Varaklioti, A. and Sypsa, V and Hatzakis, A}
}
