Keywords
Molecular detection
Improper storage
Viral RNA
How to Cite
Abstract
Flaviviruses are arboviruses that are challenging to diagnose due to clinical similarity and the instability of viral RNA; they may be associated with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This study evaluated the detectability of flavivirus RNA in PBMCs from samples stored under suboptimal conditions. A total of 170 EDTA-treated blood samples, all negative for dengue by immunochromatography, stored at 4 °C for up to three months, were analyzed. Following extraction, viral RNA was analyzed by pan-flavivirus qPCR, with detection in 6% of the samples, demonstrating that RNA can remain detectable even under adverse conditions, with potential diagnostic and epidemiological implications.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rafaela Bergamini Resende Silveira, Arielle Teixeira Silva, Mariana Rodrigues Ferreira, Emanuelle Fossali de Abreu, Sandro Henrique de Jesus, Renata Rezende Carvalho, Erica Azevedo Costa, Sabrynna Brito Oliveira