Table 1. Nucleic acid extraction and amplification systems for the detection of cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus.

System	QIAsymphony RGQ		QIAcube
Extraction kit	QIAsymphony DNA Mini Kit		QIAamp DSP DNA Mini Kit
Available sample type*	Whole blood, buffy coat, cultured cells, tissue, bacterial cultures		Whole blood, plasma, serum, buffy coat, lymphocytes, dried blood spot, body fluids, cultured cells, swabs, tissue
Lysis	Chemical		Chemical enzyme
Isolation method	Paramagnetic bead binding		Silica spin-column binding (centrifugation)
Batch capacity	24		12
Minimum sample requirement (µL)	300 (dead volume, 100)		200
Elution volume (µL)	90		100
Final reaction volume (template + master mix, µL)	20 + 30		20 + 30

^*Technical specifications as indicated in the manufacturer's instructions; ^†Analytical sensitivity (limit of quantification) was defined as the concentration at which 95% of replicates were detected; ^‡Corresponding to 1.0 copy/mL.

Abbreviations: CMV, cytomegalovirus; EBV, Epstein-Barr virus; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; Ct, threshold cycle; IC, internal control; MIE, major immediate early.