[Cytological and virological medium performance and stability assessment using the Cobas 4800 HPV test (Roche Diagnostics) used in France]

Analytical and stability performances of ten media were compared to PreservCyt medium using the Cobas 4800 HPV test: Easyfix (Labonord SAS, France), Qualicyt (Qualicyt, France), NovaPrep HQ+ (NovaCyt, France), CMDH (SARL Alphapath France), Cyt-All (Cytomega, France), Digene Cervical Sampler (Qiagen, USA), Aptima (Gen-Probe, USA), Multi-Collect (Abbott, Allemagne), M4RT Micro Test (Remel, USA), et PCR-Media (Roche, Suisse). Most of media show a good correlation for all the performance characteristics studied. Cyt-All and NovaPrep HQ+ media are perfectly concordant with PreservCyt all parameters and genotypes considered. CMDH and M4RT have a reduced stability at +25°C (3 and 2 days respectively) and would not be conformed to current shipping practices. Most of media tested show analytical and stability performances equivalent with the reference medium. The prospects of such study are interesting because in the near future, providers would make available media adapted to the problem of cervical smear but also to the conservation, transport of virus or bacteria for performing simultaneous searches of HPV, Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhea.