5 th <strong>European</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Virology</strong>has been decreasing, although it remained an issue in specific areas, i.e.detection <strong>of</strong> fungal pathogens. Commercial assays were the favouredmethod <strong>of</strong> choice, however in house tests still remained an important part<strong>of</strong> the diagnostics, particularly where commercial assays are not readilyavailable. A move towards the use <strong>of</strong> real time assays was also evidentwhilst the use <strong>of</strong> non PCR methods was uncommon.REF 459Quality assurance: Monitoring assay performance with external runcontrols from QnosticsAlastair RICKETTS 1 , Joanna PHILLIPS 1 , Sadhia MOHAMMED 1 , PaulWALLACE 11 Qnostics, Glasgow, UNITED KINGDOM; 2 QCMD, Glasgow, UNITEDKINGOMThe application <strong>of</strong> nucleic acid based detection technologies has becomeroutine within the modern clinical microbiology laboratory with molecularassays available for the causative agents for a wide range <strong>of</strong> humaninfectious diseases. Each <strong>of</strong> these assays brings a requirement to monitorperformance and laboratories are finding themselves under increasingpressure to become fully accountable for the quality <strong>of</strong> the services theyprovide. The challenge for laboratory medicine is to be able to demonstratethat the results from a patient’s sample will be consistent and independent<strong>of</strong> which laboratory generated the results. The performance <strong>of</strong> an assayis monitored through the use <strong>of</strong> internal and external controls. Internalcontrols monitor the intra sample fitness and external controls monitorthe inter run performance. By monitoring both internal and externalcontrols a laboratory can identify trends and shifts in assay performance,allowing them to more readily demonstrate control and consistency <strong>of</strong>the assay during the QC review process. In effect monitoring the assaycontrols allows laboratories to balance the requisite high error detectionrate while maintaining a low false rejection rate. In order to achieve this,the use <strong>of</strong> well characterised, consistent, external controls are <strong>of</strong> greatbenefit as laboratories require controls that are traceable and consistentbetween technologies and institutions. The data presented shows how theuse <strong>of</strong> well characterised controls can be used to monitor performance anddemonstrates control in a clinical setting.REF 460Impact <strong>of</strong> External Quality Assurance on Improvement <strong>of</strong> Virus Diagnosticsand Virus Safety Testing <strong>of</strong> BloodHeinz ZEICHHARDT 1,3 , Vanessa LINDIG 1 , Carlos TELLEZCASTILLO 1,4 , Oliver DONOSO MANTKE 2 , Hans PeterGRUNERT 1,2,31 Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Institute<strong>of</strong> <strong>Virology</strong>, Berlin, GERMANY; 2 Gesellschaft fuer BiotechnologischeDiagnostik (GBD) mbH, Berlin, GERMANY; 3 INSTAND e.V. Gesellschaftzur Foerderung der Qualitaetssicherung in medizinischen Laboratoriene.V., Duesseldorf, GERMANY; 4 Researcher Excellence Grant HLT08INFECT MET in the <strong>European</strong> Metrology Research Project (EMRP) <strong>of</strong>EURAMETCorrect laboratory diagnosis <strong>of</strong> virus diseases is the basis for reliabletherapy <strong>of</strong> patients and virus safety testing <strong>of</strong> blood. Preventive measurementsagainst virus diseases as well as solid epidemiological datarely on good virus diagnostic results. In Europe accreditation <strong>of</strong> laboratoriesaccording to international norms (e.g. ISO EN DIN 15189)and certification <strong>of</strong> manufacturers <strong>of</strong> diagnostic test kits, i.e. in vitrodiagnostic (IVD) medical devices give the administrative fundament fordiagnostic laboratories on the one hand and for manufacturers <strong>of</strong> diagnostictest kits on the other hand. Specified test materials applied inexternal quality assessment (EQA) schemes are efficient tools to measurethe competence <strong>of</strong> diagnostic laboratories and the reliability <strong>of</strong>diagnostic test kits. The presentation will concentrate on an internationalEQA scheme network for quality assurance and standardizationwhich has resulted in improvement <strong>of</strong> virus diagnostics for the benefit<strong>of</strong> patients and blood services. INSTAND EQA schemes in virusdiagnostics have been implemented in Germany in 1988 (>40 EQAschemes with >1100 participating laboratories from >40 countries). Theseschemes are performed on behalf <strong>of</strong> the German Medical Association(Bundesaerztekammer) under the scientific auspices <strong>of</strong> the German Associationagainst Virus Diseases (DVV) and Society <strong>of</strong> <strong>Virology</strong> (GfV).Examples for improved virus diagnostics as outcome <strong>of</strong> EQA schemeswill focus on diagnostics <strong>of</strong> HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C with emphasison training aspects and surveillance <strong>of</strong> performance <strong>of</strong> IVD medicaldevices.Vi<strong>rologie</strong>, Vol 17, supplément 2, septembre 2013S247
5 th <strong>European</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Virology</strong>23. VIRAL DIAGNOSIS IN CHRONICINFECTION AND DURING PREGNANCYPosters: REF 461 to REF 491REF 461Mother to infant transmission <strong>of</strong> Hepatitis E virusMaysaa EL SAYED ZAKI 1,2 , Amena ABD EL AAL 1 , AhmedBADAWY 2,1 , Douaa RAAFAT EL DEEB, 1 , Nermin YOUSSEF ABOEL KHEIR 11 Clinical Pathology Mansoura Faculty <strong>of</strong> medicine, Mnasoura, EGYPT;2 Obsteric and Gynaecology Mansoura Faculty <strong>of</strong> Medicne, Mnasoura,EGYPTThe Aim is to study (1) The seroprevalence <strong>of</strong> HCV, HBV and HEV inpregnant women complaining <strong>of</strong> acute hepatitis in Mansoura UniversityHospital Egypt (2) The rate <strong>of</strong> mother to infant transmission <strong>of</strong> thosemarkers to their infants. Method sera <strong>of</strong> 124 affected pregnant womenpresented with acute hepatitis were tested for IgG for hepatitis C, hepatitisB s antigen (HBsAg) and/or core IgM and specific IgM and IgG for HEVby ELISA and nested PCR for HEV. Moreover, 54 <strong>of</strong> their neonates weretested similarly for those virological markers Among pregnant women thehighest prevalence for hepatitis serological markers was for specific IgGfor HEV 24(19.4%), followed by HCV IgG (17.7%) and HBsAg (9.7%),while IgM for HEV was positive only in one patient. By nested PCRfor HEV, viremia was found in 10 patients (8.1%). All affected womenhad mild symptomatic disease with complete recovery regarding theiracute hepatitis conditions, however, affected pregnant women had significantlypremature rupture <strong>of</strong> membranes compared to non infected patients(P=0.0001). In their neonates the highest prevalence for serological markerswas for HEV IgG (11.1%), HEV IgM and HCV IgG (1.8% for each).HEV viremia was detected by nested PCR in 5 neonates (9.3%). Amongthe affected neonates by presence <strong>of</strong> hepatitis E viremia, prematurity wascommon (41.1%) with signs <strong>of</strong> congenital infections as respiratory distresssyndrome (62.2%) and sepsis (41.4%). The mother transmission <strong>of</strong> hepatitisE virus was 50.6% .Conclusion: The study predicts that seroprevalence<strong>of</strong> hepatitis E in our community is commonREF 462Epidemiological surveillance <strong>of</strong> influenza virus in N. Greece during2012 1013 influenza seasonGeorgia GIOULA, Maria EXINDARI, Angeliki MELIDOU, NikolaosMALISIOVASLaboratory Department, Medical School, Aristotle University <strong>of</strong> Thessaloniki,Thessaloniki, GREECEInformation on annual activity <strong>of</strong> influenza is essential. The aim <strong>of</strong> thisstudy is the report <strong>of</strong> the epidemiological data <strong>of</strong> influenza activity, during2012-2013 influenza season in northern Greece. During 2012-2013 winterseason (weeks 46 20), 224 respiratory specimens from representativeinfluenza like illness patients were sent to the National Influenza Centre <strong>of</strong>N. Greece. 52 <strong>of</strong> the above specimens were received from Sentinel GPs,while the remaining 171 samples belonged to outpatients or hospitalizedcases. RNA was extracted and Real Time RT PCR was performed usingthe recommended CDC protocol. Influenza virus was detected in 60 out<strong>of</strong> the 224 specimens (26.78%). The majority <strong>of</strong> them belonged to type A(96.66%), while the predominant subtype was A(H1N1)pdm09 (72.41%).Influenza morbidity was higher in adults aged 51 60 years old. 15 peopledied, 11 <strong>of</strong> whom were infected by A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza strain. Sexdistribution showed similar infection rates at both sexes. Co infection wasobserved in one case, with A(H3N2) and B influenza viruses. It is worthmentioning that the pandemic strain, which was not present during lastyear’s influenza season (2011-2012), was mostly detected in specimensderived from ICU hospitalized patients (81.3%), while A(H3N2) influenzavirus was detected in the majority <strong>of</strong> sentinel samples (p= 0.00014). Inconclusion, the continuous monitoring <strong>of</strong> the characteristics <strong>of</strong> circulatingviruses is an essential tool for understanding the epidemiological and virologicalfeatures <strong>of</strong> influenza viruses, for monitoring their matching withseasonal vaccine strains, and for tuning vaccination strategies.REF 463GB virus C Infection among Lithuanian population with Hepatitis C(HCV) or Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infectionAgne VALINCIUTE 1 , Silvija KIVERYTE 2 , Mykolas MAURICAS 11 Immunology Department, State Research Institute Centre for InnovativeMedicine, Vilnius, LITHUANIA; 2 Laboratory <strong>of</strong> Molecular Diagnostics,Center <strong>of</strong> Laboratory Diagnostics, Vilnius University Hospital SantariskiuClinics, Vilnius, LITHUANIAGB virus C (GBV C), also known as hepatitis G virus (HGV), is an envelopedvirus with about 9,4Kb genome length single strand RNA. Basedon similarity in genome structure with HCV, the GBV C virus is classifiedas the Flaviviridae family virus. The GBV C virus has a worldwide distributionand virus infections are common among healthy blood donors aswell as among immunocompromised individuals. Previous studies showedthe high GBV C co infection rate in hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive individuals. Based on genetic differencesbetween the 5 ′ untranslated region (5’UTR) sequences <strong>of</strong> GBVC isolates, virus is classified into seven major genotypes and in severalsubtypes. The distribution <strong>of</strong> GBV C genotypes varies geographically andinformation is still incomplete. The aim <strong>of</strong> this study is determined thefrequency <strong>of</strong> GBV C and the GBV C genotypes among the HCV and HIVpositive individuals in Lithuania and compare with the results obtainedfrom other countries. This is the first study that characterizes the presence<strong>of</strong> GBV C in co infection with HCV and HIV in Lithuania. In thisstudy, GBV C RNA was isolated from serum samples <strong>of</strong> patients withknown HCV or HIV infection. The nested reverse transcriptase reactionwas used to synthesize the complementary DNA (cDNA) and the fragment<strong>of</strong> 211 bp from 5’UTR region was amplified by nested RT PCR.The PCR products were purified and sequenced. The sequences obtainedfrom GenBank were used to compare the sequences <strong>of</strong> the isolates in thestudy.REF 464HHV 6 associated leukocytoclastic vasculitis in an immunocompetentadult patient and the possible role for HHV 6 chromosomal integration(CIHHV 6)Calvario AGATA 1 , Baldanti FAUSTO 2 , Foti CATERINA 3 , CitarellaFRANCESCA 1 , Miragliotta GIUSEPPE 1 , Scarasciulli MARIA 11 Microbiology And <strong>Virology</strong> Dept. Policlinico, Bari, ITALY; 2 Molecular<strong>Virology</strong> Unit, <strong>Virology</strong> And Microbiology Dept. Fondazione Irccs PoliclinicoSan Matteo, Pavia, ITALY; 3 Internal Medicine And Clinical OncologyDept. Dermatology Section, Bari, ITALYA 43-year-old woman was admitted to our Hospital because <strong>of</strong> a 10 dayhistory <strong>of</strong> scattered papulo vesicular lesions localized on the back andlimbs. Complete physical examination did not disclose other pathologicalsigns. The patient was otherwise healthy and denied pharmacologicaltreatment to the onset <strong>of</strong> the cutaneous lesions. Laboratory routine testswere negative. Skin biopsy, cutaneous swab, serum,whole blood were analyzed.Real time PCR (RT PCR) was carried out in order to detect HHVS248 Vi<strong>rologie</strong>, Vol 17, supplément 2, septembre 2013
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