Performance Evaluation of Four Qualitative RT-PCR Assays for the Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

ABSTRACT Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in late 2019, and its rapid spread around the globe led the World Health Organization to declare it a pandemic. Laboratory diagnostics provide important information to help control virus transmission, and molecular nucleic acid amplification tests have been recognized as the gold standard for the direct detection of viral genetic material. The main aim of this study was to independently evaluate the analytical performance of four molecular assays that were designed for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 on open testing platforms under emergency use approval, namely, the COVIWOK COVID-19 RT-PCR Meril COVID-19 One-step RT-PCR Kit, the AmoyDx Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Detection Kit, the Meril COVID-19 One-step RT-PCR Kit and the NeoPlex COVID-19 Detection Kit, as alternatives to the current standard of care (SOC) assays in-country. All of the evaluated assays showed an acceptable performance, with a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 93.8% to 98.4%, compared to a SOC assay, with a Cohen’s kappa coefficient of ≥0.9 (95% CI). In addition, the assays detected the AccuPlex reference material at 100 copies/mL, suggesting a good limit of detection. These assays provide suitable alternatives to the SOC assays that are currently available in-country, and these alternatives are acceptable for diagnostic use in South Africa. IMPORTANCE Laboratory diagnosis plays an important role in curbing the transmission of infection and reducing harmful delays in clinical and public health responses. Alternatives to the current standard of care assays for SARS-CoV-2 are important in order to overcome the challenges that are associated with global demands and supply shortages. Four molecular assays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 that were designed for open testing platforms were evaluated in this study under emergency use approval. These assays had acceptable performance and provide suitable alternatives to the current standard of care assays that are available in-country. Their compatibilities with existing in-country amplification platforms make these assays convenient to use for diagnostic testing, both locally and globally These assays were recommended to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) for patient care in South Africa.