Abstract
Background: Comprehensive and up-to-date monitoring of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOC) is crucial as these are characterized by their increased transmissibility, immune evasion and virulence.
Objectives: To describe the wide-scale implementation of a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) multiple variants assay with melting curve analysis as a routine procedure.
Study design: We prospectively performed multiple variants RT-PCR on consecutive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive samples from patients, healthcare workers and nursing home residents from our hospital catchment area. This technique was implemented in our automated Roche FLOW system with a turn-around time of 6 h.
Results: Between February 1 and May 2, 2021, 989 samples were tested by the variant RT-PCR. Our method was validated by comparison of variant RT-PCR to whole genome sequencing testing. We observed an increase over time in the proportion of UK variant that became the dominant variant, and the concurrent emergence of the South-African and Brazilian variants. Prompt public health responses for infection control were possible because of this rapid screening method, resulting in early detection and reduction of unnoticed spread of VOC as early as possible.
Conclusion: A variant RT-PCR with additional melting curve analyses is a feasible, rapid and efficient screening strategy that can be implemented in routine microbiological laboratories.
Keywords: COVID-19; Melting curve; PCR; SARS-CoV-2; Variants; screening.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, variants, Screening, PCR, Melting curve, 【초록키워드】 infection control, coronavirus, Healthcare workers, VoC, nursing home, hospital, Sequencing, variant, variants of concern, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, RT-PCR, variants, healthcare worker, Spread, immune evasion, polymerase chain reaction, Whole genome sequencing, Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Transmissibility, implementation, Early detection, Public health response, automated, melting curve analysis, SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR, virulence, Roche, patients, Analysis, Melting curve, reverse transcriptase, Chain Reaction, reduction, acute respiratory syndrome, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Public health responses, screening strategy, transcriptase, whole genome, melting, positive sample, dominant variant, screening method, polymerase chain, Comprehensive, resulting, tested, performed, proportion, characterized, feasible, 【제목키워드】 SARS-CoV-2 variant, Rapid, screening method,