RESUMO
Analytical sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 detection is a key performance metric for the evaluation of viral detection assays. We determined analytical limits of detection for seven SARS-CoV-2 assays using serial dilutions of pooled patient material quantified with droplet digital PCR. Limits of detection ranged from ≤10 to 74 copies/ml for commercial high-throughput laboratory analyzers (Roche Cobas, Abbott m2000, and Hologic Panther Fusion) and 167 to 511 copies/ml for sample-to-answer (DiaSorin Simplexa, GenMark ePlex) and point-of-care instruments (Abbott ID NOW). The CDC assay yielded limits of detection ranging from 85 to 499 copies/ml, depending on the extraction method and thermocycler used. These results can help to inform the assay choice for testing approaches to manage the current COVID-19 outbreak.
Assuntos
Betacoronavirus/genética , Técnicas de Laboratório Clínico , Infecções por Coronavirus/diagnóstico , Técnicas de Diagnóstico Molecular , Pneumonia Viral/diagnóstico , COVID-19 , Teste para COVID-19 , Técnicas de Laboratório Clínico/métodos , Técnicas de Laboratório Clínico/estatística & dados numéricos , Infecções por Coronavirus/epidemiologia , Humanos , Limite de Detecção , Técnicas de Diagnóstico Molecular/métodos , Técnicas de Diagnóstico Molecular/estatística & dados numéricos , Pandemias , Pneumonia Viral/epidemiologia , RNA Viral/análise , RNA Viral/genética , SARS-CoV-2RESUMO
The role of children in the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has become a matter of urgent debate as societies in the US and abroad consider how to safely reopen schools. Small studies have suggested higher viral loads in young children. Here we present a multicenter investigation on over five thousand SARS-CoV-2 cases confirmed by real-time reverse transcription (RT) PCR assay. Notably, we found no discernable difference in amount of viral nucleic acid among young children and adults.