Development of a fully automated high throughput PCR for the detection of SARS-CoV-2: The need for speed

• Published in: Virulence 2020-12, Vol.11 (1), p.964-967
• Main Authors: Mayer, Florian J., Ratzinger, Franz, Schmidt, Ralf L.J., Greiner, Georg, Landt, Olfert, Am Ende, Alexander, Corman, Victor M., Perkmann-Nagele, Nicole, Watkins-Riedel, Thomas, Petermann, Dagmar, Abadir, Karoline, Zweimüller-Mayer, Josef, Strassl, Robert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Betacoronavirus - genetics; Betacoronavirus - isolation & purification; Coronavirus; COVID-19; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing - instrumentation; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing - methods; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing - standards; Humans; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - instrumentation; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - standards; Reproducibility of Results; Research Paper; RNA, Viral - genetics; RNA, Viral - isolation & purification; SARS-CoV-2; Sensitivity and Specificity; Time Factors
• ISSN: 2150-5594; 2150-5608
• DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2020.1798041

Currently, testing for coronavirus is performed with time and personnel consuming PCR assays. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and capacity of a fully automated, random access high-throughput real-time PCR-based diagnostic platform for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The NeuMoDx N96 system displayed an equal or better detection rate for SARS-CoV-2 compared with the LightCycler 480II system and showed a specificity of 100%. The median PCR run time for all 28 PCR runs was 91 (IQR 84-97) minutes. The capacity of the NeuMoDx N96 could easily surpass the capacity of most currently used molecular test systems and significantly reduce the turn-around time.