scholarly journals COVIDFast: A high-throughput and RNA extraction-free method for SARS-CoV-2 detection in swab (SwabFAST) or saliva (SalivaFAST)

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Qiu ◽  
Ling Lu ◽  
Amanda Halven ◽  
Rachel Terrio ◽  
Sydney Yuldelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
Nasal Swab ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
Conventional Pcr ◽  
Extraction Step ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Bottle Neck

There is an urgent need of having a rapid, high throughput, yet accurate SARS-COV-2 PCR testing to control the COVID19 pandemic. However, the RNA extraction step in conventional PCR creates a major bottle neck in the diagnostic process. In this paper we modified the CDC COVID-19 assay and developed an RNA-extraction free RT-qPCR assay for SARS-CoV-2, i.e. COVIDFast. Depending on sample types, the assay is further divided into SwabFAST, which uses anterior nares nasal swab, and SalivaFAST, which uses saliva. By utilizing the proprietary buffer for either swab or saliva samples, the performance of SwabFAST or SalivaFAST is equivalent to RNA-extraction SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR in both contrived and clinical samples. The limit of detection of either assay is 4 copies/uL. We further developed a semi-automatic system, which is easy to adapt by clinical lab for implementation of a high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 test. Working together with the COVIDCheck Colorado, we have tested over 400,000 samples using COVIDFast (83.62% SwabFAST and 16.38% SalivaFAST) in less than a year, resulting in significant clinical contribution in the battle against COVID-19 during the pandemic.

scholarly journals A Saliva-Based RNA Extraction-Free Workflow Integrated With Cas13a for SARS-CoV-2 Detection

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iqbal Azmi ◽  
Md Imam Faizan ◽  
Rohit Kumar ◽  
Siddharth Raj Yadav ◽  
Nisha Chaudhary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Storage ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Lateral Flow ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Heat Inactivation ◽  
Analytical Sensitivity ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Extraction Step

A major bottleneck in scaling-up COVID-19 testing is the need for sophisticated instruments and well-trained healthcare professionals, which are already overwhelmed due to the pandemic. Moreover, the high-sensitive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics are contingent on an RNA extraction step, which, in turn, is restricted by constraints in the supply chain. Here, we present CASSPIT (Cas13AssistedSaliva-based &SmartphoneIntegratedTesting), which will allow direct use of saliva samples without the need for an extra RNA extraction step for SARS-CoV-2 detection. CASSPIT utilizes CRISPR-Cas13a based SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection, and lateral-flow assay (LFA) readout of the test results. The sample preparation workflow includes an optimized chemical treatment and heat inactivation method, which, when applied to COVID-19 clinical samples, showed a 97% positive agreement with the RNA extraction method. With CASSPIT, LFA based visual limit of detection (LoD) for a given SARS-CoV-2 RNA spiked into the saliva samples was ~200 copies; image analysis-based quantification further improved the analytical sensitivity to ~100 copies. Upon validation of clinical sensitivity on RNA extraction-free saliva samples (n = 76), a 98% agreement between the lateral-flow readout and RT-qPCR data was found (Ct<35). To enable user-friendly test results with provision for data storage and online consultation, we subsequently integrated lateral-flow strips with a smartphone application. We believe CASSPIT will eliminate our reliance on RT-qPCR by providing comparable sensitivity and will be a step toward establishing nucleic acid-based point-of-care (POC) testing for COVID-19.

scholarly journals Open-source RNA extraction and RT-qPCR methods for SARS-CoV-2 detection

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0246647
Author(s):  
Thomas G. W. Graham ◽  
Claire Dugast-Darzacq ◽  
Gina M. Dailey ◽  
Xammy H. Nguyenla ◽  
Erik Van Dis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Strong Correlation ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Testing Methods ◽  
Direct Addition ◽  
Extraction Step ◽  
The World

Re-opening of communities in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has ignited new waves of infections in many places around the world. Mitigating the risk of reopening will require widespread SARS-CoV-2 testing, which would be greatly facilitated by simple, rapid, and inexpensive testing methods. This study evaluates several protocols for RNA extraction and RT-qPCR that are simpler and less expensive than prevailing methods. First, isopropanol precipitation is shown to provide an effective means of RNA extraction from nasopharyngeal (NP) swab samples. Second, direct addition of NP swab samples to RT-qPCRs is evaluated without an RNA extraction step. A simple, inexpensive swab collection solution suitable for direct addition is validated using contrived swab samples. Third, an open-source master mix for RT-qPCR is described that permits detection of viral RNA in NP swab samples with a limit of detection of approximately 50 RNA copies per reaction. Quantification cycle (Cq) values for purified RNA from 30 known positive clinical samples showed a strong correlation (r2 = 0.98) between this homemade master mix and commercial TaqPath master mix. Lastly, end-point fluorescence imaging is found to provide an accurate diagnostic readout without requiring a qPCR thermocycler. Adoption of these simple, open-source methods has the potential to reduce the time and expense of COVID-19 testing.

scholarly journals Versatile and flexible microfluidic qPCR test for high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 and cellular response detection in nasopharyngeal swab samples

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0243333
Author(s):  
Julien Fassy ◽  
Caroline Lacoux ◽  
Sylvie Leroy ◽  
Latifa Noussair ◽  
Sylvain Hubac ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Reference Method ◽  
Proteinase K ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Extraction Step ◽  
Large Populations ◽  
Reaction Volumes

The emergence and quick spread of SARS-CoV-2 has pointed at a low capacity response for testing large populations in many countries, in line of material, technical and staff limitations. The traditional RT-qPCR diagnostic test remains the reference method and is by far the most widely used test. These assays are limited to a few probe sets, require large sample PCR reaction volumes, along with an expensive and time-consuming RNA extraction step. Here we describe a quantitative nanofluidic assay that overcomes some of these shortcomings, based on the BiomarkTM instrument from Fluidigm. This system offers the possibility of performing 4608 qPCR end-points in a single run, equivalent to 192 clinical samples combined with 12 pairs of primers/probe sets in duplicate, thus allowing the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 including the detection of specific SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as the detection other pathogens and/or host cellular responses (virus receptors, response markers, microRNAs). The 10 nL-range volume of BiomarkTM reactions is compatible with sensitive and reproducible reactions that can be easily and cost-effectively adapted to various RT-qPCR configurations and sets of primers/probe. Finally, we also evaluated the use of inactivating lysis buffers composed of various detergents in the presence or absence of proteinase K to assess the compatibility of these buffers with a direct reverse transcription enzymatic step and we propose several protocols, bypassing the need for RNA purification. We advocate that the combined utilization of an optimized processing buffer and a high-throughput real-time PCR device would contribute to improve the turn-around-time to deliver the test results to patients and increase the SARS-CoV-2 testing capacities.

scholarly journals Direct diagnostic testing of SARS-CoV-2 without the need for prior RNA extraction

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan Wei ◽  
Esther Kohl ◽  
Alexandre Djandji ◽  
Stephanie Morgan ◽  
Susan Whittier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Percentage Agreement ◽  
Testing Method ◽  
Viral Transport

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an urgent need for a rapid, point of care diagnostic testing that could be rapidly scaled on a worldwide level. We developed and tested a highly sensitive and robust assay based on reverse transcription loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) that uses readily available reagents and a simple heat block using contrived spike-in and actual clinical samples. RT-LAMP testing on RNA-spiked samples showed a limit of detection (LoD) of 2.5 copies/μl of viral transport media. RT-LAMP testing directly on clinical nasopharyngeal swab samples in viral transport media had an 85% positive percentage agreement (PPA) (17/20), and 100% negative percentage agreement (NPV) and delivered results in 30 min. Our optimized RT-LAMP based testing method is a scalable system that is sufficiently sensitive and robust to test for SARS-CoV-2 directly on clinical nasopharyngeal swab samples in viral transport media in 30 min at the point of care without the need for specialized or proprietary equipment or reagents. This cost-effective and efficient one-step testing method can be readily available for COVID-19 testing world-wide, especially in resource poor settings.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 Direct Detection Without RNA Isolation With Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) and CRISPR-Cas12

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Garcia-Venzor ◽  
Bertha Rueda-Zarazua ◽  
Eduardo Marquez-Garcia ◽  
Vilma Maldonado ◽  
Angelica Moncada-Morales ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Direct Method ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Rna Isolation ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Isothermal Amplification ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification

As to date, more than 49 million confirmed cases of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) have been reported worldwide. Current diagnostic protocols use qRT-PCR for viral RNA detection, which is expensive and requires sophisticated equipment, trained personnel and previous RNA extraction. For this reason, we need a faster, direct and more versatile detection method for better epidemiological management of the COVID-19 outbreak. In this work, we propose a direct method without RNA extraction, based on the Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-CRISPR associated protein (CRISPR-Cas12) technique that allows the fast detection of SARS-CoV-2 from patient samples with high sensitivity and specificity. We obtained a limit of detection of 16 copies/μL with high specificity and at an affordable cost. The diagnostic test readout can be done with a real-time PCR thermocycler or with the naked eye in a blue-light transilluminator. Our method has been evaluated on a small set of clinical samples with promising results.

scholarly journals Rapid and Extraction-Free Detection of SARS-CoV-2 from Saliva by Colorimetric Reverse-Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew A Lalli ◽  
Joshua S Langmade ◽  
Xuhua Chen ◽  
Catrina C Fronick ◽  
Christopher S Sawyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reverse Transcription ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Colorimetric Assay ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Lamp Assay ◽  
Isothermal Amplification ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Viral Detection ◽  
Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification

Abstract Background Rapid, reliable, and widespread testing is required to curtail the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Current gold-standard nucleic acid tests are hampered by supply shortages in critical reagents including nasal swabs, RNA extraction kits, personal protective equipment, instrumentation, and labor. Methods To overcome these challenges, we developed a rapid colorimetric assay using reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) optimized on human saliva samples without an RNA purification step. We describe the optimization of saliva pretreatment protocols to enable analytically sensitive viral detection by RT-LAMP. We optimized the RT-LAMP reaction conditions and implemented high-throughput unbiased methods for assay interpretation. We tested whether saliva pretreatment could also enable viral detection by conventional reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Finally, we validated these assays on clinical samples. Results The optimized saliva pretreatment protocol enabled analytically sensitive extraction-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 from saliva by colorimetric RT-LAMP or RT-qPCR. In simulated samples, the optimized RT-LAMP assay had a limit of detection of 59 (95% confidence interval: 44–104) particle copies per reaction. We highlighted the flexibility of LAMP assay implementation using 3 readouts: naked-eye colorimetry, spectrophotometry, and real-time fluorescence. In a set of 30 clinical saliva samples, colorimetric RT-LAMP and RT-qPCR assays performed directly on pretreated saliva samples without RNA extraction had accuracies greater than 90%. Conclusions Rapid and extraction-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 from saliva by colorimetric RT-LAMP is a simple, sensitive, and cost-effective approach with broad potential to expand diagnostic testing for the virus causing COVID-19.

scholarly journals Validation of a real-time PCR assay for high-throughput detection of Avibacterium paragallinarum in chicken respiratory sites

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 714-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin A. Clothier ◽  
Simone Stoute ◽  
Andrea Torain ◽  
Beate Crossley
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Bacterial Flora ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Single Tube ◽  
Avibacterium Paragallinarum ◽  
Normal Bacterial Flora ◽  
Close Relatives

Avibacterium paragallinarum is the causative agent of infectious coryza, a highly contagious respiratory disease in chickens. Given its fastidious nature, this bacterium is difficult to recover and identify, particularly from locations colonized by normal bacterial flora. Standard PCR methods have been utilized for detection but are labor-intensive and not feasible for high-throughput testing. We evaluated a real-time PCR (rtPCR) method targeting the HPG-2 region of A. paragallinarum, and validated a high-throughput extraction for this assay. Using single-tube extraction, the rtPCR detected 4 A. paragallinarum (ATCC 29545T and 3 clinical) isolates with a limit of detection (LOD) of 10 cfu/mL and a PCR efficiency of 89–111%. Cross-reaction was not detected with 33 non– A. paragallinarum, all close relatives from the family Pasteurellaceae. Real-time PCR testing on extracts of 66 clinical samples (choana, sinus, or trachea) yielded 98.2% (35 of 36 on positives, 30 of 30 on negatives) agreement with conventional PCR. Duplicate samples tested in a 96-well format extraction in parallel with the single-tube method produced equivalent LOD on all A. paragallinarum isolates, and 96.8% agreement on 93 additional clinical samples extracted with both procedures. This A. paragallinarum rtPCR can be utilized for outbreak investigations and routine monitoring of susceptible flocks.

scholarly journals Rapid isothermal amplification and portable detection system for SARS-CoV-2

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (37) ◽  
pp. 22727-22735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anurup Ganguli ◽  
Ariana Mostafa ◽  
Jacob Berger ◽  
Mehmet Y. Aydin ◽  
Fu Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Lamp Assay ◽  
Isothermal Amplification ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Complete Agreement ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Viral Transport Medium

The COVID-19 pandemic provides an urgent example where a gap exists between availability of state-of-the-art diagnostics and current needs. As assay protocols and primer sequences become widely known, many laboratories perform diagnostic tests using methods such as RT-PCR or reverse transcription loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). Here, we report an RT-LAMP isothermal assay for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus and demonstrate the assay on clinical samples using a simple and accessible point-of-care (POC) instrument. We characterized the assay by dipping swabs into synthetic nasal fluid spiked with the virus, moving the swab to viral transport medium (VTM), and sampling a volume of the VTM to perform the RT-LAMP assay without an RNA extraction kit. The assay has a limit of detection (LOD) of 50 RNA copies per μL in the VTM solution within 30 min. We further demonstrate our assay by detecting SARS-CoV-2 viruses from 20 clinical samples. Finally, we demonstrate a portable and real-time POC device to detect SARS-CoV-2 from VTM samples using an additively manufactured three-dimensional cartridge and a smartphone-based reader. The POC system was tested using 10 clinical samples, and was able to detect SARS-CoV-2 from these clinical samples by distinguishing positive samples from negative samples after 30 min. The POC tests are in complete agreement with RT-PCR controls. This work demonstrates an alternative pathway for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics that does not require conventional laboratory infrastructure, in settings where diagnosis is required at the point of sample collection.

scholarly journals One-Seq: A Highly Scalable Sequencing-Based Diagnostic for SARS-CoV-2 and Other Single-Stranded Viruses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingjie Dai ◽  
Wenzhe Ma ◽  
Hong Kang ◽  
Matthew Sonnett ◽  
George M. Church ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Range ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
High Dynamic Range ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
One Pot ◽  
Reagent Cost ◽  
Early Processing ◽  
Cost Scaling

The management of pandemics such as COVID-19 requires highly scalable and sensitive viral diagnostics, together with variant identification. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has many attractive features for highly multiplexed testing, however current sequencing-based methods are limited in throughput by early processing steps on individual samples (e.g. RNA extraction and PCR amplification). Here we report a new method, "One-Seq", that eliminates the current bottlenecks in scalability by enabling early pooling of samples, before any extraction or amplification steps. To enable early pooling, we developed a one-pot reaction for efficient reverse transcription (RT) and upfront barcoding in extraction-free clinical samples, and a "protector" strategy in which carefully designed competing oligonucleotides prevent barcode crosstalk and preserve detection of the high dynamic range of viral load in clinical samples. This method is highly sensitive, achieving a limit of detection (LoD) down to 2.5 genome copy equivalent (gce) in contrived RT samples, 10 gce in multiplexed sequencing, and 2-5 gce with multi-primer detection, suggesting an LoD of 200-500 gce/ml for clinical testing. In clinical specimens, One-Seq showed quantitative viral detection against clinical Ct values with 6 logs of linear dynamic range and detection of SARS-CoV-2 positive samples down to ~360 gce/ml. In addition, One-Seq reports a number of hotspot viral mutations at equal scalability at no extra cost. Scaling up One-Seq would allow a throughput of 100,000-1,000,000 tests per day per single clinical lab, at an estimated amortized reagent cost of $1.5 per test and turn-around time of 7.5-15 hr.

scholarly journals Comparative analysis of the diagnostic performance of five commercial COVID-19 qRT PCR kits used in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Singh ◽  
A. K. Yadav ◽  
A. Pakhare ◽  
P. Kulkarni ◽  
L. Lokhande ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Diagnostic Performance ◽  
Diagnostic Testing ◽  
Rna Extraction ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Commercial Kits

AbstractTo meet the unprecedented requirement of diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2, a large number of diagnostic kits were authorized by concerned authorities for diagnostic use within a short period of time during the initial phases of the ongoing pandemic. We undertook this study to evaluate the inter-test agreement and other key operational features of 5 such commercial kits that have been extensively used in India for routine diagnostic testing for COVID-19. The five commercial kits were evaluated, using a panel of positive and negative respiratory samples, considering the kit provided by National Institute of Virology, Indian Council of Medical Research (2019-nCoV Kit) as the reference. The positive panel comprised of individuals who fulfilled the 3 criteria of being clinically symptomatic, having history of contact with diagnosed cases and testing positive in the reference kit. The negative panel included both healthy and disease controls, the latter being drawn from individuals diagnosed with other respiratory viral infections. The same protocol of sample collection, same RNA extraction kit and same RT-PCR instrument were used for all the kits. Clinical samples were collected from a panel of 92 cases and 60 control patients, who fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The control group included equal number of healthy individuals and patients infected with other respiratory viruses (n = 30, in each group). We observed varying sensitivity and specificity among the evaluated kits, with LabGun COVID-19 RT-PCR kit showing the highest sensitivity and specificity (94% and 100% respectively), followed by TaqPath COVID-19 Combo and Allplex 2019-nCoV assays. The extent of inter-test agreement was not associated with viral loads of the samples. Poor correlation was observed between Ct values of the same genes amplified using different kits. Our findings reveal the presence of wide heterogeneity and sub-optimal inter-test agreement in the diagnostic performance of the evaluated kits and hint at the need of adopting stringent standards for fulfilling the quality assurance requirements of the COVID-19 diagnostic process.

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