The invention discloses a method for detecting a nucleic acid of interest in at least one sample comprising administering the sample to a solid carrier capable of at least in part absorbing the sample, drying the carrier, providing at least a representative part of the carrier to a nucleic acid isolation solution so that a representative amount of the nucleic acid is extracted from the carrier, and detecting the representative amount of the 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. At least 100 .mu.l or at least 250 .mu.l of sample is administered to the carrier in order to detect low titers of nucleic acid of interest. A kit 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 the sample, and a nucleic acid isolation solution, is also described.