SARS-CoV-2
VirologyA Scalable, Easy-to-Deploy Protocol for Cas13-Based Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Genetic MaterialThe COVID-19 pandemic has created massive demand for widespread, distributed tools for detecting SARS-CoV-2 genetic material. The hurdles to scalable testing include reagent and instrument accessibility, availability of highly trained personnel, and large upfront investment.
VirologyA Fast and Accessible Method for the Isolation of RNA, DNA, and Protein To Facilitate the Detection of SARS-CoV-2Management of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires widespread testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A main limitation for widespread SARS-CoV-2 testing is the global shortage of essential supplies, among them RNA extraction kits.
ImmunoassaysQuantitative Measurement of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies: Analytical and Clinical EvaluationThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While molecular-based testing is used to diagnose COVID-19, serologic testing of antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2 is used to detect past infection.
VirologySelf-Collected Saline Gargle Samples as an Alternative to Health Care Worker-Collected Nasopharyngeal Swabs for COVID-19 Diagnosis in OutpatientsWe assessed the performance, stability, and user acceptability of swab-independent self-collected saliva and saline mouth rinse/gargle sample types for the molecular detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in adults and school-aged children. Outpatients who had recently been diagnosed with COVID-19 or were presenting with suspected COVID-19 were asked to have a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab collected and...
VirologyPooling of Nasopharyngeal Swab Samples To Overcome a Global Shortage of Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR COVID-19 Test KitsThe global outbreak and rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has created an urgent need for large-scale testing of populations. There is a demand for high-throughput testing protocols that can be used for efficient and rapid testing of clinical specimens. We evaluated a pooled PCR protocol for testing nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs using known positive/negative and untested clinical samples that were...
VirologyPerformance Characteristics of BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Card for Screening Asymptomatic Individuals in a University SettingWe compared the performance of the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 antigen card to that of a standard reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assay (Thermo Fisher TaqPath COVID-19 Combo kit) for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2,645 asymptomatic students presenting for screening at the University of Utah. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 1.7% of the study participants by RT-PCR.
VirologyCorrelation of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Antigen and RNA Concentrations in Nasopharyngeal Samples from Children and Adults Using an Ultrasensitive and Quantitative Antigen AssayDiagnosis of COVID-19 by PCR offers high sensitivity, but the utility of detecting samples with high cycle threshold (CT) values remains controversial. Currently available rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigens (Ag) have sensitivity well below PCR.
EditorialIs the Patient Infected with SARS-CoV-2?The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently uses the nasopharyngeal swab specimen as the reference standard for evaluation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) assays. We propose that the patient-infected status algorithm is a superior way to classify whether an individual is infected or not infected.
VirologyComparison of Antibody Class-Specific SARS-CoV-2 Serologies for the Diagnosis of Acute COVID-19Accurate diagnosis of acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is critical for appropriate management of patients with this disease. We examined the possible complementary role of laboratory-developed class-specific clinical serology in assessing SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients.
ImmunoassaysPerformance Characteristics of the Vidas SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG Serological AssaysThe COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to spread worldwide. Serological testing for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies plays an important role in understanding and controlling the pandemic, notably through epidemiological surveillance.