Can quantitative RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 help in better management of patients and control of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Indian J Med Microbiol. 2020 Jul-Dec;38(3 & 4):284-287. doi: 10.4103/ijmm.IJMM_20_380.

Abstract

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), represents a public health emergency of unprecedented proportion. The global containment efforts have been focused on testing, tracing of contacts and treatment (isolation) of those found COVID-19 positive. Since the whole genome sequences of a number of strains of this novel RNA virus were available in the public domain by early January 2020, a number of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) protocols were designed and used for diagnosis of this infection. Most RT-PCRs are designed for qualitative COVID-19 reporting (SARS-CoV-2 detected or not detected), but have been used for semi-quantitative estimation of viral load based on cycle threshold value. Our manuscript discusses the utility of quantitative PCR testing for COVID-19 and its patient management benefits.

Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019; SARS-CoV-2; cycle threshold; patient management; quantitative RT-PCR.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus / genetics*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / methods*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Genome, Viral / genetics
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Viral Load / methods*

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Covid-19 aAPC vaccine
  • RNA, Viral