scholarly journals Single-tube collection and nucleic acid analysis of clinical samples: a rapid approach for SARS-CoV-2 saliva testing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle H Cole ◽  
Alexis Bouin ◽  
Caila Ruiz ◽  
Bert L Semler ◽  
Matthew A Inlay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Tween 80 ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Assay Method ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Enzymatic Reactions ◽  
Single Tube ◽  
Large Scale Testing

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has brought to light the need for expedient diagnostic testing. Cost and availability of large-scale testing capacity has led to a lag in turnaround time and hindered contact tracing efforts, resulting in a further spread of SARS-CoV-2. To increase the speed and frequency of testing, we developed a cost-effective single-tube approach for collection, denaturation, and analysis of clinical samples. The approach utilizes 1 μL microbiological inoculation loops to collect saliva, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to inactivate and release viral genomic RNA, and a diagnostic reaction mix containing polysorbate 80 (Tween 80). In the same tube, the SDS-denatured clinical samples are introduced to the mixtures containing all components for nucleic acids detection and Tween 80 micelles to absorb the SDS and allow enzymatic reactions to proceed, obviating the need for further handling of the samples. The samples can be collected by the tested individuals, further decreasing the need for trained personnel to administer the test. We validated this single-tube sample-to-assay method with RT-qPCR and RT-LAMP and discovered little-to-no difference between Tween- and SDS-containing reaction mixtures, compared to CDC-approved reagents. This approach significantly reduces the logistical burden of traditional large-scale testing and provides a method of deployable point-of-care diagnostics to increase testing frequency.

scholarly journals Effects of Emulsifier Type and Post-Treatment on Stability, Curcumin Protection, and Sterilization Ability of Nanoemulsions

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
Rui Li ◽  
Qiangsheng Fang ◽  
Peihong Li ◽  
Chunling Zhang ◽  
Yuan Yuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Delivery System ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Water Solubility ◽  
Soybean Protein ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Tween 80 ◽  
Solubility Limit ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Soybean Protein Isolate

Curcumin has a high inhibitory effect on many potential diseases caused by bacteria and fungi. However, its degradability and low water solubility limit its application. Loading curcumin with an emulsion delivery system can overcome these problems. Five different types of emulsifiers were used to prepare the curcumin-loaded nanoemulsions, namely, Tween 80 (T80), Span 80 (S80), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), soybean protein isolate (SPI), and lecithin (LEC). The effects of emulsifier types and post-treatment methods on emulsion stability and curcumin-load efficiency were studied. In addition, photodynamic inactivation was used to test the antibacterial effect of nanoemulsions on Escherichia coli under blue light excitation. The five types of emulsifiers could form uniform emulsions with good storage stability and with antibacterial capacity on Escherichia coli. Among them, the T80 and LEC emulsions had good stability, coating effect, and sterilization performance under heating or room temperature. Both curcumin-loaded bactericidal emulsions had the potential for large-scale applications. A nanoemulsions delivery system could effectively improve the dispersion and chemical stability of curcumin in water. An emulsion loaded with antibacterial photosensitizer represents a new idea for the storage and preservation of food commodities.

scholarly journals Pooling of Nasopharyngeal (NP) Swab Samples to Overcome Global Shortage of rRT-PCR COVID-19 Test Kits

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunil More ◽  
Sai Narayanan ◽  
Girish Patil ◽  
Parna Ghosh ◽  
Samuel Pushparaj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Rapid Testing ◽  
Efficient Utilization ◽  
Large Scale Testing ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Testing Protocols

The global outbreak and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 has created an urgent need for large scale testing of populations. There is a demand for high throughput testing protocols that can be used for efficient and rapid testing of clinical specimens. We evaluated a pooled-PCR protocol for testing nasopharyngeal swabs using known positive/negative and untested clinical samples that were assigned to pools of 5 or 10. Nasopharyngeal swabs were accurately identified as positive or negative for SARS-CoV-2 in pools of 5 (100% sensitivity; 100% specificity). Even though specificity remained unaffected (100%), the detection sensitivity was reduced (66.67%) when 10 samples were pooled together. Pooling of up to 5 samples can be employed in laboratories for the diagnosis of COVID-19 for efficient utilization of resources, rapid screening of a greater number of people, and faster reporting of test results.

scholarly journals Public Health Emergency and Crisis Management: Case Study of SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 3984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hemin Choi ◽  
Wonhyuk Cho ◽  
Min-Hyu Kim ◽  
Joon-Young Hur
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
Call Center ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Major Cluster

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused an unparalleled public health crisis, delivering an immense shock to humanity. With the virus’s health consequences largely unknown, different health systems around the globe have pursued various avenues of crisis management. South Korea, troubled early by the virus, was once the second most affected nation in the world. Arrays of measures in South Korea, such as large-scale diagnostic testing and technology-based comprehensive contact tracing, have brought about debates among public health experts and medical professionals. This case study describes the major cluster transmissions in SARS-CoV-2 hotspots in South Korea (such as a religious sect, a call center, logistics facilities, and nightclubs) and offers early observations on how South Korean public health authorities acted in response to the initial outbreak of the virus and to the new waves prompted by re-opening economies. We then discuss the way in which South Korea’s experience can act as a reference for shaping other countries’ public health strategies in pandemic crisis management.

scholarly journals Usability of saliva collection devices for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary E. Petrone ◽  
Devyn Yolda-Carr ◽  
Mallery Breban ◽  
Hannah Walsh ◽  
Orchid Allicock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Specialized Training ◽  
Large Scale Testing ◽  
Saliva Collection ◽  
Community Struggles

ABSTRACTThere is an urgent need to expand testing for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens as the global community struggles to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Current diagnostic methods can be affected by supply chain bottlenecks and require the assistance of medical professionals, impeding the implementation of large-scale testing. Self-collection of saliva may solve these problems because it can be completed without specialized training and uses generic materials. In this study, we observed thirty individuals who self-collected saliva using four different collection devices and analyzed their feedback. These devices enabled the safe collection of saliva that was acceptable for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing.

scholarly journals LAMP-Seq: Population-Scale COVID-19 Diagnostics Using Combinatorial Barcoding

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan L. Schmid-Burgk ◽  
Ricarda M. Schmithausen ◽  
David Li ◽  
Ronja Hollstein ◽  
Amir Ben-Shmuel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Safety Evaluation ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Lamp Method ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Population Scale ◽  
Detection Strategies ◽  
Current Detection ◽  
Generation Sequencing

SummaryThe ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has already caused devastating losses. Exponential spread can be slowed by social distancing and population-wide isolation measures, but those place a tremendous burden on society, and, once lifted, exponential spread can re-emerge. Regular population-scale testing, combined with contact tracing and case isolation, should help break the cycle of transmission, but current detection strategies are not capable of such large-scale processing. Here we present a protocol for LAMP-Seq, a barcoded Reverse-Transcription Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) method that is highly scalable. Individual samples are stabilized, inactivated, and amplified in three isothermal heat steps, generating barcoded amplicons that can be pooled and analyzed en masse by sequencing. Using unique barcode combinations per sample from a compressed barcode space enables extensive pooling, potentially further reducing cost and simplifying logistics. We validated LAMP-Seq on 28 clinical samples, empirically optimized the protocol and barcode design, and performed initial safety evaluation. Relying on world-wide infrastructure for next-generation sequencing, and in the context of population-wide sample collection, LAMP-Seq could be scaled to analyze millions of samples per day.

scholarly journals Public health emergency and crisis management: Case study of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Choi ◽  
Wonhyuk Cho ◽  
MH Kim ◽  
JY Hur
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
Call Center ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Major Cluster

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused an unparalleled public health crisis, delivering an immense shock to humanity. With the virus’s health consequences largely unknown, different health systems around the globe have pursued various avenues of crisis management. South Korea, troubled early by the virus, was once the second most affected nation in the world. Arrays of measures in South Korea, such as large-scale diagnostic testing and technology-based comprehensive contact tracing, have brought about debates among public health experts and medical professionals. This case study describes the major cluster transmissions in SARS-CoV-2 hotspots in South Korea (such as a religious sect, a call center, logistics facilities, and nightclubs) and offers early observations on how South Korean public health authorities acted in response to the initial outbreak of the virus and to the new waves prompted by re-opening economies. We then discuss the way in which South Korea’s experience can act as a reference for shaping other countries’ public health strategies in pandemic crisis management.

scholarly journals Public health emergency and crisis management: Case study of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Choi ◽  
Wonhyuk Cho ◽  
MH Kim ◽  
JY Hur
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
Call Center ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Major Cluster

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused an unparalleled public health crisis, delivering an immense shock to humanity. With the virus’s health consequences largely unknown, different health systems around the globe have pursued various avenues of crisis management. South Korea, troubled early by the virus, was once the second most affected nation in the world. Arrays of measures in South Korea, such as large-scale diagnostic testing and technology-based comprehensive contact tracing, have brought about debates among public health experts and medical professionals. This case study describes the major cluster transmissions in SARS-CoV-2 hotspots in South Korea (such as a religious sect, a call center, logistics facilities, and nightclubs) and offers early observations on how South Korean public health authorities acted in response to the initial outbreak of the virus and to the new waves prompted by re-opening economies. We then discuss the way in which South Korea’s experience can act as a reference for shaping other countries’ public health strategies in pandemic crisis management.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF SOCIAL DISTANCING IN CURBING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-172
Author(s):  
M. Ammar Luthfi Kurniawan ◽  
Litania Leona Hidayat ◽  
Jihan Natra Shafira ◽  
Iche Andriyani Liberty
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Critical Appraisal ◽  
Behavioral Adjustment ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Electronic Search ◽  
Large Scale Testing ◽  
The Impact

Social distancing includes strategies to ban public gatherings and advise individuals to stay at their home or maintain distance to one another by at least 1-2 meters. This study aims to intend to assess all the available evidence of social distancing in decreasing COVID-19 transmission in the general population. We conducted an electronic search of published literature using MEDLINE/Pubmed, Science direct, PMC, Wiley, and Google Scholar and we use Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist to assess methodological qualities. A total of 7 articles were decided to be included in this study. Social distancing has curb down the number and saved approximately 10 thousand Brazilian lives. A study by VoPham et al on the association of social distancing and COVID-19 incidence found higher social distancing was associated with a 29% reduction of COVID-19 incidence (adjusted IRR 0.71;95% CI (0,57-0,87) and 35% reduction of COVID-19 mortality (adjusted IRR 0,65; 95% CI 0,55-0,76). Social distancing is one of the major policies implemented for long-term behavioral adjustment in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Passive social distancing is not enough to drag down the number, there needs to be large scale testing, isolation, and contact tracing. However, we believe we have illuminated the impact of social distancing on the COVID-19 pandemic and add to the available literature the basis of social distancing in reducing transmission of COVID-19.

scholarly journals Pooling of Nasopharyngeal (NP) Swab Samples to Overcome Global Shortage of rRT-PCR COVID-19 Test Kits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunil More ◽  
Sai Narayanan ◽  
Girish Patil ◽  
Parna Ghosh ◽  
Samuel Pushparaj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Rapid Testing ◽  
Efficient Utilization ◽  
Clinical Specimens ◽  
Large Scale Testing ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Testing Protocols

The global outbreak and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 created an urgent need for large scale testing of populations. There is a demand for high throughput testing protocols that can be used for efficient and rapid testing of clinical specimens. We evaluated a pooled-PCR protocol for testing nasopharyngeal swabs using known positive/negative and untested clinical samples that were assigned to pools of 5 or 10. Six-hundred and thirty (630) samples were used in this study. Individual positive samples with Ct values as high as 33 could be consistently detected when pooled with 4 negative samples (pool of 5) and individual positive samples with Ct values up to 31 could be consistently detected when pooled with 9 negative samples (pool of 10). Pooling of up to 5 samples can be employed in laboratories for the diagnosis of COVID-19 for efficient utilization of resources, rapid screening of a greater number of people, and faster reporting of test results.

Myanmar: Pandemic in a Time of Transition

2021 ◽  
pp. 335-348
Author(s):  
Kai Ostwald ◽  
Tun Myint
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
The State ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Population Movement ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Military Dictatorship ◽  
Large Scale Testing ◽  
Partial Opening ◽  
Political Economic

This chapter examines how Myanmar faced distinct disadvantages in its ability to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic relative to regional neighbours. This is due to its continued grappling with simultaneous political, economic, and conflict-related transitions: Myanmar was a largely closed-off military dictatorship for nearly fifty years prior to its partial opening in 2011. In conjunction with structural factors, the triple transition had several important implications for Myanmar’s response to the pandemic. First, many of the aggressive approaches to countering Covid-19 that were effective in other contexts were infeasible for Myanmar, as the state lacked the capacity to enforce comprehensive population movement controls and large-scale testing and contact tracing. Second, Myanmar’s structural conditions prevented a uniform response to the pandemic. Third, Myanmar has several high-risk subgroups that complicated responses to the pandemic.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document