Comparison of matrix-based and filter paper-based systems for transport of plasma for HIV-1 RNA quantification and amplicon preparation for genotyping.

Two ambient-temperature, dry plasma transport systems, ViveST tubes and RNASound RNA sampling cards, and two extraction methods were compared to frozen plasma for HIV-1 RNA recovery. Significant RNA loss occurred: ViveST + MiniMag > ViveST + QIAamp > RNASound + QIAamp. RNA loss and low specimen volumes may affect the sensitivity of genotyping specimens with HIV-1 RNA of < 4.70 log(10) copies/ml.