Use of FTA card for dry collection, transportation and storage of cervical cell specimen to detect high-risk HPV

BackgroundThe FTA elute micro card™, which enable the collection, transport, and archiving of DNA could be an attractive alternative to a liquid based collection system for detection of human papillomavirus (HPV).ObjectivesTo develop a method based on the FTA elute micro card™ for dry collection of cervical epithelial cell samples, suitable for subsequent PCR-based HPV testing.Study designThe method was evaluated by a comparison of the DNA collected by cytobrush and the regular FTA elute micro card™ from 50 cervical cell samples. The method was then used to estimate the DNA amount in 1040 samples applied to the indicating FTA elute micro card™.ResultThe agreement in HPV positivity between the cytobrush and FTA samples (94%) was excellent (kappa = 0.88, 95% CI 0.748–1). All the 1040 samples on the indicating FTA card™ had sufficient amounts of genomic DNA (>10 copies of a single copy gene) to be suitable for HPV typing. In 53 of the 1040 women the day in the menstrual cycle was noted, and the copy number during follicular phase day 9–13 was found to be statistically significantly lower than for the other three stages in the menstrual cycle (day 4–8, 14, >14) and during menopause.ConclusionThe indicating FTA elute micro card™ represents a suitable medium for collection of cervical cell samples, although follow-up studies are needed to verify the detection of low frequency HPV types.