Effects of collection, processing, and storage on RNA detection and quantification

Historically, clinicians and researchers have relied upon the development of clinical endpoints or the use of surrogate markers in the evaluation of disease pathogenesis and in response to various therapeutic agents. In addition, microbiologic methods of detecting various pathogens have usually required the culture of an agent. The majority of bacterial pathogen culture methods have been standardized and identification has become relatively straightforward. Nonetheless, a wide variety of unculturable pathogens have been identified. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics have provided clinicians with the ability to measure directly infectious agents. Certain viral pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are detectable by standard culture techniques whereas others such as hepatitis C virus (HCV) are not.