RT-qPCR-based tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection in pooled saliva samples for massive population screening to monitor epidemics.

ABSTRACT: Swab, RT-qPCR tests remain the gold standard of diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 infections. These tests are costly and have limited throughput. We developed a 3-gene, seminested RT-qPCR test with SYBR green-based detection designed to be oversensitive rather than overspecific for high-throughput diagnostics of populations. This two-tier approach depends on decentralized self-collection of saliva samples, pooling, 1^st-tier testing with highly sensitive screening test and subsequent 2^nd-tier testing of individual samples from positive pools with the IVD test. The screening test was able to detect five copies of the viral genome in 10 µl of isolated RNA with 50% probability and 18.8 copies with 95% probability and reached Ct values that were highly linearly RNA concentration-d

SUBMITTER: Rozanski M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9109753 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature