A robust, simple to use, sample to result platform with some major advantages
Molecular testing has largely replaced the gold standard of culture to diagnose varicella zoster virus (VZV), the pathogen responsible for chicken pox and shingles, but clinical labs see an opportunity to improve on these tests. Ted Schutzbank, Technical Director for Special Testing and Microbiology at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Michigan, recently evaluated the ARIES® System from Luminex, and found that it offers several advantages over other molecular testing platforms. As clinical lab teams are asked to do more with fewer resources, every possible advantage makes a difference.
In a presentation at the Clinical Virology Symposium (CVS), Schutzbank described the standard protocol for real-time PCR-based tests, which involves many different steps and can be prone to error, while the ARIES® System workflow, on the other hand, is very simple and straightforward. The system includes a number of thoughtful features to prevent errors, such as locking the cassette into the magazine so it “can’t fly out,” he said. “I’ve seen that happen before with other types of systems.”
Schutzbank said his experience with the SYNCT™ software on the ARIES® System was positive as well, noting that it allows users to set protocol definitions and adjust parameters on any computer, and then loads that information onto the instrument. “It’s very, very flexible in terms of how the user can interact with the ARIES® System,” he said.
Study Presented at CVS 2016
In a study comparing ARIES® System results to another lab-developed procedure (LDP) for varicella zoster virus that Schutzbank’s lab has been using, the team evaluated both sensitivity and specificity. The limit-of-detection test put the ARIES® System through its paces with calibrator DNA at concentrations of 200, 500, and 1,000 copies per milliliter. “The ARIES® was a smidgen more analytically sensitive,” Schutzbank reported.
The next part of the study involved running 40 previously tested samples. There were only two discordant results reported by the ARIES® System, but Schutzbank believes at least one of those was a false positive from the culture test that had gone undetected until this evaluation. He noted that the ARIES® platform uses more DNA from a sample than the molecular testing platform his lab currently uses, and suggested that this may allow the ARIES® System to detect low titer samples more accurately. The fully sealed ARIES® instrument also reduces the risk of amplicon contamination, he added.
Summary
The biggest difference between the platforms, though, was the time required to run them. “What we love about the ARIES® is the more efficient workflow. There’s no upfront sample processing,” Schutzbank said. In addition to producing results faster — the ARIES® System shaved more than 20 percent off the time needed to deliver answers — the instrument also removes the burden of batching samples. “The level of automation we gained was very useful, especially for performing low-volume assays,” he added. “This is where I really see the use of the ARIES®.”
Schutzbank concluded that the ARIES® instrument is a robust, simple to use, sample to result platform. The performance of the ARIES® procedure was comparable to the LDP that his lab currently uses, with some major advantages of the ARIES® method including the elimination of upfront sample processing, and increasing cost effectiveness through the reduced need for batch testing.
Disclosure: The ARIES® instrument, reagents, and cassettes were provided by Luminex for this study.
The ARIES® System is a class 1(I) laser product. Validation of the LIS compatibility must be performed by the end user. Luminex and ARIES are trademarks of Luminex Corporation, registered in the U.S. and other countries. SYNCT is a trademark of Luminex Corporation.