BLOOD SPOT TESTING
Blood Spot Testing
Blood spot testing is a form of collection where patients place blood drops on a filter card after a finger prick with a lancet. Once dry, blood spot cards are extremely stable for shipment and storage, and the dried blood format offers excellent correlation with serum tests.
Why Measure in Blood Spot?
The current blood diagnosis industry, which is based mainly on venous puncture, is oriented towards developed markets where costs of logistics (refrigeration and transportation) are expensive but do not represent the highest burden. However, in developing economies, these costs are unaffordable for the system or individuals and families. This test eliminates cold chain requirements, which results in major cost savings and makes a step towards universal lab blood service coverage. It also makes it possible to remove the key impediments to population monitoring through massive screening to inform health policies. The strategy is based on maintaining a solution at very low cost so that it can be offered to all people, including those that have very limited financial resources.
Low Cost an No Special Conditions
The system does not require special conditions for storage or transportation and it requires only minimal investment in training the personnel that handle the samples. Using the device only requires a finger-prick. Patients can collect their sample at home at the time that suits them.
Field of Usage
Whatman™ papers specific biochemistry parameters – uric acid, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, creatinine – in dried blood samples, using standard laboratory equipment. Additional usage areas of Whatman™
DBS CARDS & KITS
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What is DBS?
Dried blood spot testing (DBS) is a form of biosampling where blood samples are blotted and dried on filter paper. The dried samples can easily be shipped to an analytical laboratory and analysed using various methods such as DNA amplification or HPLC.
In the lab, a 3mm sample is cut. With a single drop two to four parameters (HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis, Cholesterol, Glucose, etc.) can be analyzed, using an appropriate solvent which extracts the biological material that is required for the test. This room-temperature extraction (stove & shaker) occurs inside a micro plate and read-out is done on an ELISA’s reader.
How To Collect DBS?
Dried blood spot specimens are collected by applying a few drops of blood, drawn by lancet from the finger or toe, onto specially manufactured absorbent filter paper. The blood is allowed to thoroughly saturate the paper. Choose finger for sampling (2nd or 3rd index finger recommended).
Stimulate blood flow by shaking hand briefly or massage finger from
hand to fingertip a few times.
Clean finger with isopropyl alcohol and allow to dry completely.
Perform stick with incision device and gently wipe off first drop of blood using a sterile dry gauze or cotton ball.
Allow formation of a large drop of blood.
Lightly touch the blood drop to one side of the filter paper allowing blood to fill the preprinted circle completely.
Do not touch the DBS card directly to the finger stick site!
Repeat until all circles are filled (which circles is required).
How To Dry DBS?
Allow the specimen to dry at room temperature.
Dry the cards horizontally and not touching each other for a minimum of 3 hours.
Do not touching or smearing the blood spots.
Do not expose the card to heat, moisture or direct sunlight.
Once dried, the sample can be transported by any means to the lab – NO need for cold chain or any special conditions. See regulations.
How to Package DBS
It is important to package each DBS card separately so that the cards do not contaminate each other.
Package each DBS separately.
Insert into sealable plastic bag or envelope and add desiccant packs.
Fill in the requested information on the envelope or bag.
Packaging may depend on clinic volume and available supplies.
Customized DBS Solutions
Products
Customized Kits
Field based sample collection often requires the use of multiple products such as gloves, sterile wipes and a lancet in addition to the sample collection card itself. Kuru Kan Kartı can develop and manufacture customized ready-to-use kits for specific end user applications, ensuring that all the tools for optimal sample collection are there on site and ready for use.
Sequential Numbering
Cards can be provided with sequential numbering. This means that each of your cards will have a different number which is essential for tracking and identification purposes.
Barcodes
Cards can be provided with barcoding on the demographic portion in any format that can print alphanumeric characters (letters, digits and some special symbols). Data integrity is enhanced by the use of modulus check digit characters.
Color Coding
Custom printed cards can be color coded to simplify form distribution after sample collection.
Manufacturing of Quality Cards
Qualitative filter paper grades are based on various properties including particle retention, thickness, and weight. Unlike quantitative filter papers, of which ashless grades can be burned off for analytical applications, qualitative papers are more suited for general purpose use.
We use FDA approved Whatman™ filter papers produced by Cytiva Global Life Sciences Solutions for dried blood sample.