ABSTRACT
Background/Aim: Hepatitis C Virus [HCV] infection represent a major public health problem because of the ability of HCV to cause a chronic carrier state. Even though chronic carriers remain largely asymptomatic, a large number of these individuals subsequently develop cirrhosis and primary hepatocellular carcinomas. Dried Blood Spot [DBS] samples are a simple and inexpensive sampling method, especially useful for blood collection in resource poor settings with limited access to diagnostic facilities. The main advantage of DBS samples over routine blood samples is that only a small quantity of blood is required, easy to obtain, stable and can be transported to a reference laboratory at minimal cost
The Aim of the work was to evaluate the feasibility of DBS samples as an alternative sample type to serum for the detection of HCV RNA. Results obtained from DBS samples were compared with results of serum using the same technique
Methods: This study was carried out on 50 anti-HCV-positive serum samples, from patients whom attending Arar Central Hospital and Prince Hospital, Arar, kingdom of Saudi Arabia., during November 2011 to February 2012
Results: .HCV RNA was detected in 49/50 [98%] of the DBS samples, with Sensitivity 98% and Specificity 100 %, in comparisons to serum samples. Also there was no statistical significant difference in hepatitis C viral load between the two different samples among the patients. We demonstrated that there is no statistical significant different between the two samples when viral load is both less than and also more than 100000 IU. Concluded that the use of DBS for extraction and amplification of HCV RNA was reliable, specific, sensitive, cheap and appropriate method to monitor the HCV infected patients