Identification, Isolation, Propagation and Inactivation of SARS-CoV2 Isolated from Egypt

AbstractSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 causes the novel pandemic Pneumonia disease. It is a positive single strand ssRNA virus that infect human. COVID-19 appeared in Egypt in Feb 2020. The samples were taken from patients with COVID-19 symptoms at military hospital in Egypt and transported to the main chemical laboratories under all the biosafety measures according to WHO guidelines. All samples were tested with RT-PCR. Positive samples were cultured using VeroE6 cell lines. The propagated virus was isolated and inactivated. The isolated virus was sequenced using next generation sequencing and submitted into gene bank. This study provides an isolation, propagation and inactivation methodology which is valuable for production of inactivated vaccines against SARS-CoV2 in Egypt.

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Utilization of a SARS-CoV-2 Variant Assay for the Rapid Differentiation of Omicron and Delta

10.1101/2021.12.22.21268195 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nicholas Jacob Barasch ◽

James Iqbal ◽

Marvin Coombs ◽

Sofia Kazi ◽

Jessica Wang-Rodriguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Next Generation Sequencing ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Therapeutic Intervention ◽

Next Generation ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Pcr Assay ◽

Spike Gene ◽

Next Generation Sequencing Ngs ◽

Generation Sequencing

The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), creates a diagnostic vacuum, since differentiation of Omicron from Delta relies on relatively slow next generation sequencing (NGS) technology delaying epidemiologic understanding and therapeutic intervention. The RUO SARS-CoV-2 Variant Set 1 Test (RSCov2V1) RT-PCR for detection of spike gene N501Y, E484K and del69-70 was designed to differentiate Alpha from Beta and Gamma variants. While Delta lacks these three variants, Omicron has the N501Y and del69-70 mutation. We submitted 88 samples for RSCov2V1 identifying 9 samples with the N501Y and del69-70 mutations while all other samples (79) were negative for all three variants. 9/9 samples with the del69-70 and N501Y were identified by NGS to be Omicron while 47/47 other samples assessed by NGS were confirmed to be Delta family variants. We demonstrate here that an immediately available RT-PCR assay for detection of spike gene N501Y and del69-70 can be utilized to rapidly differentiate Omicron from Delta variants in the proper epidemiologic context

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Detection of SARS-CoV-2 from patient fecal samples by whole genome sequencing

Gut Pathogens ◽

10.1186/s13099-021-00398-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Andreas Papoutsis ◽

Thomas Borody ◽

Siba Dolai ◽

Jordan Daniels ◽

Skylar Steinberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Next Generation Sequencing ◽

Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽

Whole Genome ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Whole Genome Analysis ◽

Fecal Samples ◽

Oral Transmission ◽

Study Participants ◽

Next Generation Sequencing Ngs ◽

Generation Sequencing

Abstract Background SARS-CoV-2 has been detected not only in respiratory secretions, but also in stool collections. Here were sought to identify SARS-CoV-2 by enrichment next-generation sequencing (NGS) from fecal samples, and to utilize whole genome analysis to characterize SARS-CoV-2 mutational variations in COVID-19 patients. Results Study participants underwent testing for SARS-CoV-2 from fecal samples by whole genome enrichment NGS (n = 14), and RT-PCR nasopharyngeal swab analysis (n = 12). The concordance of SARS-CoV-2 detection by enrichment NGS from stools with RT-PCR nasopharyngeal analysis was 100%. Unique variants were identified in four patients, with a total of 33 different mutations among those in which SARS-CoV-2 was detected by whole genome enrichment NGS. Conclusion These results highlight the potential viability of SARS-CoV-2 in feces, its ongoing mutational accumulation, and its possible role in fecal–oral transmission. This study also elucidates the advantages of SARS-CoV-2 enrichment NGS, which may be a key methodology to document complete viral eradication. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04359836, Registered 24 April 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04359836?term=NCT04359836&draw=2&rank=1).

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