Development of a rapid viability RT-PCR (RV-RT-PCR) method to detect infectious SARS-CoV-2 from swabs.

ABSTRACT: Since the rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, its causative virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to spread and increase the number of fatalities. To expedite studies on understanding potential surface transmission of the virus and to aid environmental epidemiological investigations, we developed a rapid viability reverse transcriptase PCR (RV-RT-PCR) method that detects viable (infectious) SARS-CoV-2 from swab samples in <1 day compared to several days required by current gold-standard cell-culture-based methods. The method integrates cell-culture-based viral enrichment in a 96-well plate format with gene-specific RT-PCR-based analysis before and after sample incubation to determine the cycle threshold (C_T) difference (ΔC_T).

SUBMITTER: Shah SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8349479 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature