TABLE 1.
Lower limits of detection for nested qualitative routine PCR and the Cobas TaqMan quantitative HDV PCR
| No. of samples | Plasmid concn (fg/μl) | Calculated no. of copies per ml | No. of samples positive/no. tested by nested qualitative routine PCRa | No. of copies per ml (mean ± SD) measured by Cobas TaqMan quantitative HDV PCR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0.02 | 300 | 4/4 | 240 ± 120 |
| 4 | 0.01 | 150 | 4/4 | 80 ± 67 |
| 4 | 0.005 | 75 | 4/4 | <15 (4/4 detectable) |
| 4 | 0.001 | 15 | 1/4 | <15 (4/4 detectable) |
| 4 | 0.0001 | 1.5 | 0/4 | Negative (0/4 detectable) |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0/2 | Negative (0/2 detectable) |