Enhancer-gene rewiring in the pathogenesis of Quebec platelet disorder.

Quebec platelet disorder (QPD) is an autosomal dominant bleeding disorder with a unique, platelet-dependent, gain-of-function defect in fibrinolysis, without systemic fibrinolysis. The hallmark feature of QPD is a >100-fold overexpression of PLAU, specifically in megakaryocytes. This overexpression leads to a >100-fold increase in platelet stores of urokinase plasminogen activator (PLAU/uPA); subsequent plasmin-mediated degradation of diverse α-granule proteins; and platelet-dependent, accelerated fibrinolysis. The causative mutation is a 78-kb tandem duplication of PLAU. How this duplication causes megakaryocyte-specific PLAU overexpression is unknown. To investigate the mechanism that causes QPD, we used epigenomic profiling, comparative genomics, and chromatin conformation capture approaches to study PLAU regulation in cultured megakaryocytes from participants with QPD and unaffected controls. QPD duplication led to ectopic interactions between PLAU and a conserved megakaryocyte enhancer found within the same topologically associating domain (TAD). Our results support a unique disease mechanism whereby the reorganization of sub-TAD genome architecture results in a dramatic, cell-type-specific blood disorder phenotype.

Factor XIII Assays and associated problems for laboratory diagnosis of factor XIII deficiency: an analysis of International Proficiency testing results.

We analyzed results from the External quality Control of diagnostic Assays and Tests program to assess current clinical laboratory practice and performance of different methods for factor XIII (FXIII) testing internationally. FXIII proficiency testing data from all eight surveys conducted in 2010 and 2011 were analyzed (1,283 results), comparing the three available methods for detecting FXIII deficiency, thus including clot-solubility qualitative activity, quantitative activity, and antigen. Clot-solubility qualitative assays detected a deficiency in only 16% (11/69) of samples with less than 2% FXIII. Assays using added thrombin detected more deficiencies (33%) than did assays without added thrombin (11%). The most commonly used quantitative activity method tended to produce higher results for low FXIII samples than other quantitative activity methods. Antigen results generally showed good accuracy compared with expected levels. The mean interlaboratory coefficients of variation showed wide variability, especially for samples with less than 10% FXIII activity. Laboratory self-classification of results (as normal vs. abnormal) was good, and was slightly better for specimens with ≤ 25% FXIII than for specimens with 26 to 70% or those with >70% FXIII. We conclude that quantitative activity assays perform better for detecting FXIII deficiency than clot solubility assays, although some quantitative activity assays overestimate low FXIII levels.

Evaluation of a diagnostic platelet aggregation test strategy for platelet rich plasma samples with low platelet counts.

INTRODUCTION: Light transmission aggregometry (LTA) is important for diagnosing platelet function disorders (PFD) and von Willebrand disease (VWD) affecting ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation (RIPA). Nonetheless, data is lacking on the utility of LTA for investigating thrombocytopenic patients and platelet rich plasma samples with low platelet counts (L-PRP). Previously, we developed a strategy for diagnostic LTA assessment of L-PRP that included: (1) acceptance of referrals/samples, regardless of thrombocytopenia severity, (2) tailored agonist selection, based on which are informative for L-PRP with mildly or severely low platelet counts, and (3) interpretation of maximal aggregation (MA) using regression-derived 95% confidence intervals, determined for diluted control L-PRP (C-L-PRP). METHODS: To further evaluate the L-PRP LTA strategy, we evaluated findings for a subsequent patient cohort. RESULTS: Between 2008 and 2021, the L-PRP strategy was applied to 211 samples (11.7% of all LTA samples) from 192 unique patients, whose platelet counts (median [range] × 109 /L) for blood and L-PRP were: 105 [13-282; 89% with thrombocytopenia] and 164 [17-249], respectively. Patient-L-PRP had more abnormal MA findings than simultaneously tested C-L-PRP (p-values <0.001). Among patients with accessible electronic medical records (n = 181), L-PRP LTA uncovered significant aggregation abnormalities in 45 (24.9%), including 18/30 (60%) with <80 × 109 platelets/L L-PRP, and ruled out PFD, and VWD affecting RIPA, in others. The L-PRP LTA strategy helped diagnose VWD affecting RIPA, Bernard Soulier syndrome, familial platelet disorder with myeloid malignancy, suspected ITGA2B/ITGB3-related thrombocytopenia, and acquired PFD. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic LTA with L-PRP, using a strategy that considers thrombocytopenia severity, is feasible and informative.

Genetic loci associated with platelet traits and platelet disorders.

Genetic investigations have led to important advances in our knowledge of genes, proteins, and microRNA that influence circulating platelet counts, platelet size, and function. The application of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to platelet traits has identified multiple loci with a significant association to platelet number, size, and function in aggregation and granule secretion assays. Moreover, the genes altered by disease-causing mutations have now been identified for several platelet disorders, including X-linked recessive, autosomal dominant, and autosomal recessive platelet disorders. Some mutations that cause inherited platelet disorders involve genes that GWAS have associated to platelet traits. Although disease-causing mutations in many rare and syndromic causes of platelet disorders have now been characterized, the genetic mutations that cause common inherited platelet disorders, and impair platelet aggregation and granule secretion, are largely unknown. This review summarizes current knowledge on the genetic loci that influence platelet traits, including the genes with well-characterized mutations in certain inherited platelet disorders.

Rare inherited coagulation and fibrinolytic defects that challenge diagnostic laboratories.

BACKGROUND: Coagulation factors, anticoagulants, and fibrinolytic proteins are important for hemostasis, and mutations affecting these proteins causes some rare inherited bleeding disorders that are particularly challenging to diagnose. AIMS: This review provides current information on rare inherited bleeding disorders that are difficult to diagnose. MATERIAL & METHODS: A review of the literature was conducted for up to date information on rare and difficult to diagnose bleeding disorders. RESULTS: Some rare bleeding disorders cause an inherited deficiency of multiple coagulation factors (F), such as combined FV and FVIII deficiency and familial vitamin K-dependent clotting factor deficiency. Additionally, congenital disorders of glycosylation can affect a variety of procoagulant and anticoagulant proteins and also platelets. Some bleeding disorders reflect mutations with unique impairments in the procoagulant/anticoagulant balance, including those caused by F5 mutations that secondarily increase the plasma levels of tissue factor pathway inhibitor as well as THBD mutations that increase functional thrombomodulin in plasma or cause a consumptive coagulopathy due to thrombomodulin deficiency. Some bleeding disorders accelerate fibrinolysis due to loss-of-function mutations in SERPINE1 and SERPINF2 or in the case of Quebec platelet disorder, a duplication mutation that rewires PLAU and selectively increases expression in megakaryocytes, resulting in a unique platelet-dependent gain-of-function defect in fibrinolysis. DISCUSSION: Current information on rare and difficult to diagnose bleeding disorders indicates they have unique clinical and laboratory features, and pathogenic characteristics to consider for diagnostic evaluation. CONCLUSION: Laboratories and clinicians should consider rare inherited disorders, and difficult to diagnose conditions, in their strategy for diagnosing bleeding disorders.

Building the foundation for a community-generated national research blueprint for inherited bleeding disorders: research priorities for ultra-rare inherited bleeding disorders.

BACKGROUND: Ultra-rare inherited bleeding disorders (BDs) present important challenges for generating a strong evidence foundation for optimal diagnosis and management. Without disorder-appropriate treatment, affected individuals potentially face life-threatening bleeding, delayed diagnosis, suboptimal management of invasive procedures, psychosocial distress, pain, and decreased quality-of-life. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) and the American Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network identified the priorities of people with inherited BDs and their caregivers, through extensive inclusive community consultations, to inform a blueprint for future decades of research. Multidisciplinary expert Working Group (WG) 3 distilled highly feasible transformative ultra-rare inherited BD research opportunities from the community-identified priorities. RESULTS: WG3 identified three focus areas with the potential to advance the needs of all people with ultra-rare inherited BDs and scored the feasibility, impact, and risk of priority initiatives, including 13 in systems biology and mechanistic science; 2 in clinical research, data collection, and research infrastructure; and 5 in the regulatory process for novel therapeutics and required data collection. CONCLUSIONS: Centralization and expansion of expertise and resources, flexible innovative research and regulatory approaches, and inclusion of all people with ultra-rare inherited BDs and their health care professionals will be essential to capitalize on the opportunities outlined herein.

Living with an ultra-rare inherited bleeding disorder is challenging. Patients can feel alone and unsure of where to find support because their disorder is so rare. In this paper, a group of ultra-rare bleeding disorder experts, including doctors, researchers, regulators, patient advocates, and patients, identify the research that could best improve the lives of people with these disorders. They propose a national network of specialists who can help doctors, who may never have seen these disorders before, to find the right diagnosis faster. A centralized laboratory specialized in ultra-rare bleeding disorders could also improve diagnosis and do research studies. This would help us learn, for example, how symptoms change throughout a patient's life, how effective different treatments are, and what it is like for patients to live with these disorders. A second research priority is to better understand each individual disorder so that the best treatments can be chosen or developed. A pathway showing doctors which treatment options to try, in which order, would help them help their patients. The third research priority is to make it easier to study new treatments for ultra-rare bleeding disorders. This requires designing studies with very small numbers of participants, identifying meaningful outcomes to measure, and convincing pharmaceutical companies to invest in these studies. International agreement on these requirements would allow more patients to participate and benefit from the research. These top-priority research goals should greatly improve knowledge about, and diagnosis and treatment of, ultra-rare inherited bleeding disorders.

Laboratory investigations for bleeding disorders.

Bleeding disorder panels often include the prothrombin time (PT)/international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen level, and thrombin time (TT). We explored the detection of abnormalities from bleeding disorders by these tests among subjects referred for bleeding disorder assessments, using data from a bleeding disorder study to determine sensitivities and specificities. Among subjects referred to hematologists for bleeding disorder assessment, coagulation defects were uncommon and the APTT and TT detected many nonsignificant abnormalities. While all test and panel specificities were acceptable (88 to 100%), coagulation screening tests were less sensitive to clinically significant abnormalities (1.0 to 2.1%) than von Willebrand disease (VWD) screens (6.7%), and light transmission platelet aggregometry (LTA) (26%). Accordingly, panels comprising PT/INR, APTT, fibrinogen, and TT had lower sensitivity to bleeding disorders (3.7%) than panels expanded to include VWD screens (8.5%), or VWD screens and LTA (30%). These findings have important implications for bleeding disorder diagnosis.

External quality assessment of platelet disorder investigations: results of international surveys on diagnostic tests for dense granule deficiency and platelet aggregometry interpretation.

The quality of platelet aggregation and dense granule deficiency testing is important for diagnosing platelet function disorders. After a successful pilot exercise on diagnosing platelet dense granule deficiency by electron microscopy (EM), the North American Specialized Coagulation Laboratory Association (NASCOLA) has launched regular external quality assurance (EQA) for dense granule EM, as well as for the interpretation of platelet aggregation findings. EQA records were analyzed to assess performance. For EM EQA, between 2009 and 2011, there was excellent performance in distinguishing normal from dense granule-deficient samples and good (>70%) agreement on classifying most electron dense structures in platelets. For aggregation EQA, some normal variants were misclassified and overall case interpretations were more acceptable for rare disorders than for common findings. NASCOLA experiences with these EQAs indicate that there is a need to improve the quality of platelet disorder evaluations. For aggregometry interpretations, deficits in performance could be addressed by translating guideline recommendations into practice.

Persons with Quebec platelet disorder have a tandem duplication of PLAU, the urokinase plasminogen activator gene.

Quebec platelet disorder (QPD) is an autosomal dominant bleeding disorder linked to a region on chromosome 10 that includes PLAU, the urokinase plasminogen activator gene. QPD increases urokinase plasminogen activator mRNA levels, particularly during megakaryocyte differentiation, without altering expression of flanking genes. Because PLAU sequence changes were excluded as the cause of this bleeding disorder, we investigated whether the QPD mutation involved PLAU copy number variation. All 38 subjects with QPD had a direct tandem duplication of a 78-kb genomic segment that includes PLAU. This mutation was specific to QPD as it was not present in any unaffected family members (n = 114), unrelated French Canadians (n = 221), or other persons tested (n = 90). This new information on the genetic mutation will facilitate diagnostic testing for QPD and studies of its pathogenesis and prevalence. QPD is the first bleeding disorder to be associated with a gene duplication event and a PLAU mutation.

Approaches to investigating common bleeding disorders: an evaluation of North American coagulation laboratory practices.

Bleeding disorders commonly result from deficiencies or defects in von Willebrand factor (VWF), platelets, coagulation factors, or fibrinolytic proteins. The primary goal of our study was to assess current North American coagulation laboratory practices for diagnosing bleeding disorders, using an on-line patterns-of-practice survey of diagnostic laboratory members of the North American Specialized Coagulation Laboratory Association. The survey examined laboratory approaches to evaluating bleeding disorders, with specific questions about the tests and test panels offered and compliance to recent guideline recommendations on diagnosing von Willebrand disease (VWD) and platelet function disorders. All laboratories responding to the survey performed a prothrombin time/international normalized ratio, an activated partial thromboplastin time, and coagulation factor assays, and many tested for VWD and platelet disorders. However, few laboratories had test panels that evaluated the more common bleeding disorders and few performed some assays, including VWF multimer assessments and assays for fibrinolytic disorders. Additionally, the cutoffs used by laboratories to diagnose type 1 VWD varied considerably, with only a minority following the National Heart Lung Blood Institute recommendations. In contrast, laboratories that tested for platelet function disorders mostly complied with aggregation testing recommendations, as published in the recent North American guidelines. Our results indicate that there are some gaps in the strategies used by laboratories to diagnose bleeding disorders that might be addressed by development of further guidelines and test algorithms that emphasize evaluations for common bleeding disorders. Laboratories may also benefit from guidelines on test interpretation, and external evaluation of their bleeding disorder testing strategies.

Update on platelet procoagulant mechanisms in health and in bleeding disorders.

Platelet procoagulant mechanisms are emerging to be complex and important to achieving haemostasis. The mechanisms include the release of procoagulant molecules from platelet storage granules, and strong agonist-induced expression of procoagulant phospholipids on the outer platelet membrane for tenase and prothrombinase assembly. The release of dense granule polyphosphate is important to platelet procoagulant function as it promotes the activation of factors XII, XI and V, inhibits tissue factor pathway inhibitor and fibrinolysis, and strengthens fibrin clots. Platelet procoagulant function also involves the release of partially activated factor V from platelets. Scott syndrome has provided important insights on the mechanisms that regulate procoagulant phospholipids expression on the external platelet membrane, which require strong agonist stimulation that increase cystolic calcium levels, mitochondrial calcium uptake, the loss of flippase function and activation of the transmembrane scramblase protein anoctamin 6. There have been advances in the methods used to directly and indirectly assess platelet procoagulant function in health and disease. Assessments of thrombin generation with platelet rich plasma samples has provided new insights on how platelet procoagulant function is altered in inherited platelet disorders, and how platelets influence the bleeding phenotype of a number of severe coagulation factor deficiencies. Several therapies, including desmopressin and recombinant factor VIIa, improve thrombin generation by platelets. There is growing interest in targeting platelet procoagulant function for therapeutic benefit. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of platelet-dependent procoagulant mechanisms in health and in bleeding disorders.

Illustrated State-of-the-Art Capsules of the ISTH 2022 Congress.

The ISTH London 2022 Congress is the first held (mostly) face-to-face again since the COVID-19 pandemic took the world by surprise in 2020. For 2 years we met virtually, but this year's in-person format will allow the ever-so-important and quintessential creativity and networking to flow again. What a pleasure and joy to be able to see everyone! Importantly, all conference proceedings are also streamed (and available recorded) online for those unable to travel on this occasion. This ensures no one misses out. The 2022 scientific program highlights new developments in hemophilia and its treatment, acquired and other inherited bleeding disorders, thromboinflammation, platelets and coagulation, clot structure and composition, fibrinolysis, vascular biology, venous thromboembolism, women's health, arterial thrombosis, pediatrics, COVID-related thrombosis, vaccine-induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis, and omics and diagnostics. These areas are elegantly reviewed in this Illustrated Review article. The Illustrated Review is a highlight of the ISTH Congress. The format lends itself very well to explaining the science, and the collection of beautiful graphical summaries of recent developments in the field are stunning and self-explanatory. This clever and effective way to communicate research is revolutionary and different from traditional formats. We hope you enjoy this article and will be inspired by its content to generate new research ideas.

Quebec platelet disorder: update on pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.

Quebec platelet disorder (QPD) is an autosomal dominant bleeding disorder associated with reduced platelet counts and a unique gain-of-function defect in fibrinolysis due to increased expression and storage of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) by megakaryocytes. QPD increases risks for bleeding and its key clinical feature is delayed-onset bleeding, following surgery, dental procedures or trauma, which responds only to treatment with fibrinolytic inhibitors. The genetic cause of the disorder is a tandem duplication mutation of the uPA gene, PLAU, which upregulates uPA expression in megakaryocytes by an unknown mechanism. The increased platelet stores of uPA trigger plasmin-mediated degradation of QPD α-granule proteins. The gain-of-function defect in fibrinolysis is thought to be central to the pathogenesis of QPD bleeding as the activation of QPD platelets leads to release of uPA from α-granules and accelerated clot lysis. The purpose of this review is to summarize current knowledge on QPD pathogenesis and the recommended approaches to QPD diagnosis and treatment.

Increased expression of urokinase plasminogen activator in Quebec platelet disorder is linked to megakaryocyte differentiation.

Quebec platelet disorder (QPD) is an inherited bleeding disorder associated with increased urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) in platelets but not in plasma, intraplatelet plasmin generation, and alpha-granule protein degradation. These abnormalities led us to investigate uPA expression by QPD CD34(+) progenitors, cultured megakaryocytes, and platelets, and whether uPA was stored in QPD alpha-granules. Although QPD CD34(+) progenitors expressed normal amounts of uPA, their differentiation into megakaryocytes abnormally increased expression of the uPA gene but not the flanking genes for vinculin or calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIgamma on chromosome 10. The increased uPA production by cultured QPD megakaryocytes mirrored their production of alpha-granule proteins, which was normal. uPA was localized to QPD alpha-granules and it showed extensive colocalization with alpha-granule proteins in both cultured QPD megakaryocytes and platelets, and with plasminogen in QPD platelets. In QPD megakaryocytes, cultured without or with plasma as a source of plasminogen, alpha-granule proteins were stored undegraded and this was associated with much less uPA-plasminogen colocalization than in QPD platelets. Our studies indicate that the overexpression of uPA in QPD emerges with megakaryocyte differentiation, without altering the expression of flanking genes, and that uPA is costored with alpha-granule proteins prior to their proteolysis in QPD.

Quebec platelet disorder is linked to the urokinase plasminogen activator gene (PLAU) and increases expression of the linked allele in megakaryocytes.

Quebec platelet disorder (QPD) is an autosomal dominant disorder with high penetrance that is associated with increased risks for bleeding. The hallmark of QPD is a gain-of-function defect in fibrinolysis due to increased platelet content of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) without systemic fibrinolysis. We hypothesized that increased expression of uPA by differentiating QPD megakaryocytes is linked to PLAU. Genetic marker analyses indicated that QPD was significantly linked to a 2-Mb region on chromosome 10q containing PLAU with a maximum multipoint logarithm of the odds (LOD) score of +11 between markers D10S1432 and D10S1136. Analysis of PLAU by sequencing and Southern blotting excluded mutations within PLAU and its known regulatory elements as the cause of QPD. Analyses of uPA mRNA indicated that QPD distinctly increased transcript levels of the linked PLAU allele with megakaryocyte differentiation. These findings implicate a mutation in an uncharacterized cis element near PLAU as the cause of QPD.

Thrombin generation abnormalities in commonly encountered platelet function disorders.

INTRODUCTION: Studies of thrombin generation (TG) with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) have provided insights on bleeding disorders. We studied TG for a cohort with commonly encountered platelet function disorders (PFD). METHODS: Participants included 40 controls and 31 with PFD due to: nonsyndromic dense granule (DG) deficiency (PFD-DGD, n = 9), RUNX1 haploinsufficiency (n = 6) and aggregation defects from other, uncharacterized causes (n = 16). TG was tested with PRP and PPP samples. As DG store ADP and polyphosphate that enhance platelet-dependent TG, PFD-DGD PRP TG was tested for correction with ADP, polyphosphate and combined additives. Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), platelet factor V (FV), and platelet TFPI and ANO6 transcript levels were also evaluated. Findings were tested for associations with TG endpoints and bleeding. RESULTS: PFD samples had impaired PRP TG, but also impaired PPP TG, with strong associations between their PRP and PPP TG endpoints (P ≤ .005). PFD-DGD PRP TG endpoints showed associations to PPP TG endpoints but not to DG counts, and were improved, but not fully corrected, by adding polyphosphate and agonists. PFD participants had increased plasma TFPI and reduced platelet TFPI (P ≤ .02) but normal levels of platelet FV, and platelet TFPI and ANO6 transcripts levels. PFD plasma TFPI levels showed significant association to several PPP TG endpoints (P ≤ .04). Several PFD PRP TG endpoints showed significant associations to bleeding symptoms, including wound healing problems and prolonged bleeding from minor cuts (P ≤ .04). CONCLUSION: TG is impaired in commonly encountered PFD, with their PRP TG findings showing interesting associations to symptoms.

Multimerin 1 supports platelet function in vivo and binds to specific GPAGPOGPX motifs in fibrillar collagens that enhance platelet adhesion.

BACKGROUND: Multimerin 1 (human: MMRN1, mouse: Mmrn1) is a homopolymeric, adhesive, platelet and endothelial protein that binds to von Willebrand factor and enhances platelet adhesion to fibrillar collagen ex vivo. OBJECTIVES: To examine the impact of Mmrn1 deficiency on platelet adhesive function, and the molecular motifs in fibrillar collagen that bind MMRN1 to enhance platelet adhesion. METHODS: Mmrn1-deficient mice were generated and assessed for altered platelet adhesive function. Collagen Toolkit peptides, and other triple-helical collagen peptides, were used to identify multimerin 1 binding motifs and their contribution to platelet adhesion. RESULTS: MMRN1 bound to conserved GPAGPOGPX sequences in collagens I, II, and III (including GPAGPOGPI, GPAGPOGPV, and GPAGPOGPQ) that enhanced activated human platelet adhesion to collagen synergistically with other triple-helical collagen peptides (P < .05). Mmrn1-/- and Mmrn1+/- mice were viable and fertile, with complete and partial platelet Mmrn1 deficiency, respectively. Relative to wild-type mice, Mmrn1-/- and Mmrn1+/- mice did not have overt bleeding, increased median bleeding times, or increased wound blood loss (P ≥ .07); however, they both showed significantly impaired platelet adhesion and thrombus formation in the ferric chloride injury model (P ≤ .0003). Mmrn1-/- platelets had impaired adhesion to GPAGPOGPX peptides and fibrillar collagen (P ≤ .03) and formed smaller aggregates than wild-type platelets when captured onto collagen, triple-helical collagen mimetic peptides, von Willebrand factor, or fibrinogen (P ≤ .008), despite preserved, low shear, and high shear aggregation responses. CONCLUSIONS: Multimerin 1 supports platelet adhesion and thrombus formation and binds to highly conserved, GPAGPOGPX motifs in fibrillar collagens that synergistically enhance platelet adhesion.

Analytical Performance of COVID-19 Detection Methods (RT-PCR): Scientific and Societal Concerns.

Background. Health and social management of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, responsible for the COVID-19 disease, requires both screening tools and diagnostic procedures. Reliable screening tests aim at identifying (truely) infectious individuals that can spread the viral infection and therefore are essential for tracing and harnessing the epidemic diffusion. Instead, diagnostic tests should supplement clinical and radiological findings, thus helping in establishing the diagnosis. Several analytical assays, mostly using RT-PCR-based technologies, have become commercially available for healthcare workers and clinical laboratories. However, such tests showed some critical limitations, given that a relevant number of both false-positive and false-negative cases have been so far reported. Moreover, those analytical techniques demonstrated to be significantly influenced by pre-analytical biases, while the sensitivity showed a dramatic time dependency. Aim. Herein, we critically investigate limits and perspectives of currently available RT-PCR techniques, especially when referring to the required performances in providing reliable epidemiological and clinical information. Key Concepts. Current data cast doubt on the use of RT-PCR swabs as a screening procedure for tracing the evolution of the current SARS-COV-2 pandemic. Indeed, the huge number of both false-positive and false-negative results deprives the trustworthiness of decision making based on those data. Therefore, we should refine current available analytical tests to quickly identify individuals able to really transmit the virus, with the aim to control and prevent large outbreaks.