Droplet digital RT-PCR to detect SARS-CoV-2 signature mutations of variants of concern in wastewater.

ABSTRACT: Wastewater surveillance has shown to be a valuable and efficient tool to obtain information about the trends of COVID-19 in the community. Since the recent emergence of new variants, associated with increased transmissibility and/or antibody escape (variants of concern), there is an urgent need for methods that enable specific and timely detection and quantification of the occurrence of these variants in the community. In this study, we demonstrate the use of RT-ddPCR on wastewater samples for specific detection of mutation N501Y. This assay enabled simultaneous enumeration of lineage B.1.351 (containing the 501Y mutation) and Wild Type (WT, containing 501N) SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Detection of N501Y was possible in samples with mixtures of WT with low proportions of B.1.351 (0.5%) and could accur

SUBMITTER: Heijnen L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8332926 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature