An alternative workflow for molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 - escape from the NA extraction kit-shortage, Copenhagen, Denmark, March 2020

Euro Surveill. 2020 Apr;25(14):2000398. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.14.2000398.

Abstract

The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 caused by the newly discovered SARS-CoV-2 a pandemic. Due to growing demand for reagents and/or kits to extract SARS-CoV-2 RNA for subsequent RT-qPCR diagnostics, there is a worldwide risk of shortages. With a detection sensitivity of 97.4% (95% CI: 86.2-99.9%), we describe a simple, fast, alternative workflow for molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2, where samples are simply heat-processed for 5 min at 98 °C before a commonly-used RT-qPCR procedure.

Keywords: COVID-19; RT-qPCR; SARS-CoV-2; molecular diagnostics.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus / genetics*
  • Coronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Denmark
  • Humans
  • Oropharynx / virology*
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
  • RNA, Viral / analysis*
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • RNA, Viral / isolation & purification
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Workflow

Substances

  • RNA, Viral