Dried blood spot (DBS) cards hold promise for expanding diagnostic services to HIV-infected people in resource-poor settings. Unlike plasma, DBS can be made from blood drawn for routine clinical or surveillance purposes without special laboratory processing. The filter paper used is easily obtained and stored, the viral RNA is stable over longer periods, and freezing is not required. DBS are more easily transported, pose less of a biohazard, and can be shipped as non-hazardous materials. Contact us for more information.
