In resource-limited countries, early detection of novel pathogens is often challenging, due to financial and technical constraints. This study reports the efficacy of family-wide polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in screening, detecting, and identifying initial cases of the novel SARS-CoV-2 in Thailand. Respiratory secretions were collected from suspected individuals traveling from Wuhan, China to Thailand at the beginning of January 2020. Family-wide PCR assays yielded positive results for coronavirus in one traveler within 12 h on January 8, 2020. Nucleotide sequences (290 bp) showed 100% similarity to SARS-CoV-2. The whole genome sequence was further characterized by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) for confirmation. Combining family-wide PCR, as a rapid screening tool, with NGS, for full genome characterization, could facilitate early detection and confirmation of a novel pathogen and enable early containment of a disease outbreak.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, NGS, Thailand, family-wide PCR, novel pathogen, 【초록키워드】 Efficacy, coronavirus, Genome, polymerase chain reaction, PCR, pathogen, outbreak, Early detection, Wuhan, next generation sequencing, Pathogens, respiratory, disease outbreak, disease, nucleotide, similarity, Chain Reaction, confirmation, individual, positive result, secretion, sequence, PCR assay, whole genome sequence, Wuhan, China, polymerase chain, initial, collected, facilitate, characterized, 【제목키워드】 novel, identification,