scholarly journals Detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its first variants in fourplex real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR assays

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Mathieu Durand ◽  
Philippe Thibault ◽  
Simon Lévesque ◽  
Ariane Brault ◽  
Alex Carignan ◽  
...  

The early diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections is required to identify and isolate contagious patients to prevent further transmission of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we present a multitarget real-time TaqMan reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR) assay for the quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 and some of its circulating variants harboring mutations that give the virus a selective advantage. Seven different primer-probe sets that included probes containing locked nucleic acid (LNA) nucleotides were designed to amplify specific wild-type and mutant sequences in Orf1ab, Envelope (E), Spike (S), and Nucleocapsid (N) genes. Furthermore, a newly developed primer-probe set targeted human β2-microglobulin (B2M) as a highly sensitive internal control for RT efficacy. All singleplex and fourplex assays detected £ 14 copies/reaction of quantified synthetic RNA transcripts, with a linear amplification range of nine logarithmic orders. Primer-probe sets for detection of SARS-CoV-2 exhibited no false-positive amplifications with other common respiratory pathogens, including human coronaviruses NL63, 229E, OC43, and HKU-1. Fourplex assays were evaluated using 160 clinical samples positive for SARS-CoV-2. Results showed that SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detected in all samples, including viral strains harboring mutations in the Spike coding sequence that became dominant in the pandemic. Given the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and their rapid spread in some populations, fourplex rRT-PCR assay containing four primer-probe sets represents a reliable approach to allow quicker detection of circulating relevant variants in a single reaction.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Durand ◽  
Philippe Thibault ◽  
Simon Lévesque ◽  
Ariane Brault ◽  
Alex Carignan ◽  
...  

AbstractThe early diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections is required to identify and isolate contagious patients to prevent further transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this study, we present a multitarget real-time TaqMan reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR) assay for the quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 and some of its circulating variants harboring mutations that give SARS-CoV-2 a selective advantage. Seven different primer-probe sets that included probes containing locked nucleic acid (LNA) nucleotides were designed to amplify specific wild-type and mutant sequences in Orf1ab, Envelope (E), Spike (S), and Nucleocapsid (N) genes. Furthermore, a newly developed primer-probe set targeted human β2-microglobulin (B2M) as a highly sensitive internal control for RT efficacy. All singleplex and fourplex assays detected ≤ 14 copies/reaction of quantified synthetic RNA transcripts, with a linear amplification range of 9 logarithmic orders. Primer-probe sets for detection of SARS-CoV-2 exhibited no false-positive amplifications with other common respiratory pathogens, including human coronaviruses NL63, 229E, OC43, and HKU-1. Given the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and their rapid spread in some populations, fourplex rRT-PCR assay containing four primer-probe sets represents a reliable approach to detect multiple viral target sequences containing typical mutations of SARS-CoV-2 variants in a single reaction, allowing quicker detection of circulating relevant variants.


2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (9) ◽  
pp. 5624-5626 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. C. Shan ◽  
P. Wolffs ◽  
M. W. Griffiths

ABSTRACT In this study, an immunomagnetic capture method and a real-time reverse transcription-PCR assay were used to quantify hepatitis A virus (HAV) in green onion and strawberry rinses. This combined protocol detected as low as 0.5 PFU HAV in produce rinses and concentrated HAV levels up to 20-fold.


2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 2620-2624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Bennett ◽  
Heli Harvala ◽  
Jeroen Witteveldt ◽  
E. Carol McWilliam Leitch ◽  
Nigel McLeish ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Vol 155 (6) ◽  
pp. 817-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chad M. Fuller ◽  
Lina Brodd ◽  
Richard M. Irvine ◽  
Dennis J. Alexander ◽  
Elizabeth W. Aldous

2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo L M Poon ◽  
Kwok Hung Chan ◽  
On Kei Wong ◽  
Timothy K W Cheung ◽  
Iris Ng ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: A novel coronavirus (CoV) was recently identified as the agent for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). We compared the abilities of conventional and real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assays to detect SARS CoV in clinical specimens. Methods: RNA samples isolated from nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA; n = 170) and stool (n = 44) were reverse-transcribed and tested by our in-house conventional RT-PCR assay. We selected 98 NPA and 37 stool samples collected at different times after the onset of disease and tested them in a real-time quantitative RT-PCR specific for the open reading frame (ORF) 1b region of SARS CoV. Detection rates for the conventional and real-time quantitative RT-PCR assays were compared. To investigate the nature of viral RNA molecules in these clinical samples, we determined copy numbers of ORF 1b and nucleocapsid (N) gene sequences of SARS CoV. Results: The quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay was more sensitive than the conventional RT-PCR assay for detecting SARS CoV in samples collected early in the course of the disease. Real-time assays targeted at the ORF 1b region and the N gene revealed that copy numbers of ORF 1b and N gene sequences in clinical samples were similar. Conclusions: NPA and stool samples can be used for early diagnosis of SARS. The real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay for SARS CoV is potentially useful for early detection of SARS CoV. Our results suggest that genomic RNA is the predominant viral RNA species in clinical samples.


2013 ◽  
Vol 62 (7) ◽  
pp. 1060-1064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueyong Huang ◽  
Licheng Liu ◽  
Yanhua Du ◽  
Hongxia Ma ◽  
Yujiao Mu ◽  
...  

A novel bunyavirus associated with fever, thrombocytopenia and leukopenia syndrome (FTLS) was discovered in Henan Province, China. Here, we report the development of an assay for this novel bunyavirus based on real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). The assay exhibited high sensitivity and specificity without cross-reactivity towards 13 other viruses that cause similar symptoms. To evaluate the performance of this assay in detecting clinical samples, we analysed 261 serum samples from patients in Henan Province between 2007 and 2010. Of these samples, 91.95 % were bunyavirus positive. Compared with serological assays, the real-time PCR assay was much more sensitive in identifying infected patients 1 to 7 days after the onset of symptoms.


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