Analytical and clinical sensitivity of West Nile virus RNA screening and supplemental assays available in 2003

Abstract

WNV screening and supplemental assays had generally excellent analytical sensitivity, comparable to human immunodeficiency virus-1 and hepatitis C virus NAT assays. The presence of low-level viremic units during epidemic periods and the impact of MP dilutions on sensitivity, however, suggest the need for further improvements in sensitivity as well as a role for targeted individual-donation NAT in epidemic regions.