STORING AND DETECTING NUCLEIC ACID ADMINISTERED TO A SOLID CARRIER

摘要

The invention provides a method for detecting a nucleic acid of interest in at least one sample, comprising administering said sample to a solid carrier capable of at least in part absorbing said sample, drying said carrier, providing at least a representative part of said carrier to a nucleic acid isolation solution so that a representative amount of said nucleic acid is extracted from said carrier, and detecting said representative amount of said nucleic acid. With a method of the invention a sample, such as a body fluid sample, is stabilized in such a way that it can be shipped from the site of taking (for instance local hospital or lab in a less-developed country) and be sent to a service testing laboratory elsewhere in the world by normal logistics means. Preferably at least 100 µl , more preferably at least 250 µl of sample is administered to said carrier, in order to detect low titers of nucleic acid of interest. A kit of parts for detecting, identifying and/or quantifying a nucleic acid of interest in a sample, comprising a solid carrier capable of at least in part absorbing said sample, and a nucleic acid isolation solution, is also herewith provided.