Digital PCR is a sensitive new technique for SARS-CoV-2 detection in clinical applications.

ABSTRACT: The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed great challenges in people's daily lives. Highly sensitive laboratory techniques played a critical role in clinical COVID-19 diagnosis and management. In this study the feasibility of using a new digital PCR-based detection assay for clinical COVID-19 diagnosis was investigated by comparing its performance with that of RT-PCR. Clinical patient samples and samples obtained from potentially contaminated environments were analyzed. The study included 10 patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses, 32 validated samples of various types derived from different clinical timepoints and sites, and 148 environmentally derived samples. SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acids were more readily detected in respiratory tract samples (35.0%). In analyses

SUBMITTER: Jiang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7641518 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature