Table 1.
Results of vaccinia virus culture and PCR from smallpox vaccine recipients
| Site | Test | No. Positive Specimens/Total No. Tested (%) | No. Positive Vaccinees/Total No. Tested (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood | Shell vial culture | 0/206 (0) | 0/27 (0)1 |
| Blood | PCR | 4/202 (2.0)2 | 3/27 (11)1 |
| Throat | Shell vial culture | 0/213 (0) | 0/28 (0) |
| Throat | PCR | 0/190 (0)3 | 0/28 (0) |
1
One patient did not have blood tested for culture or PCR because sufficient blood was not available.
2
All four blood PCR samples were positive at <125 copies/ml, and all 4 had concurrent blood cultures that were negative for vaccinia. While the sample clearly gave a positive signal, the lower limit of the standard curve in the assay was 125 copies.
3
The first four consecutive vaccinees did not have some samples tested for PCR because they were not processed properly.