Novel rapid identification of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by real-time RT-PCR using BD Max Open System in Taiwan
Cherng-Lih Perng,
Ming-Jr Jian,
Chih-Kai Chang,
Jung-Chung Lin,
Kuo-Ming Yeh,
Chien-Wen Chen,
Sheng-Kang Chiu,
Hsing-Yi Chung,
Yi-Hui Wang,
Shu-Jung Liao,
Shih-Yi Li,
Shan-Shan Hsieh,
Shih-Hung Tsai,
Feng-Yee Chang,
Hung-Sheng Shang
Affiliations
Cherng-Lih Perng
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Ming-Jr Jian
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Chih-Kai Chang
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Jung-Chung Lin
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Kuo-Ming Yeh
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Chien-Wen Chen
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Sheng-Kang Chiu
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Hsing-Yi Chung
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Yi-Hui Wang
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Shu-Jung Liao
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Shih-Yi Li
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Shan-Shan Hsieh
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Shih-Hung Tsai
Department of Emergency Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Feng-Yee Chang
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Hung-Sheng Shang
Division of Clinical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
Coronavirus disease 2019 has become a worldwide pandemic. By April 7, 2020, approximately 1,279,722 confirmed cases were reported worldwide including those in Asia, European Region, African Region and Region of the Americas. Rapid and accurate detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical for patient care and implementing public health measures to control the spread of infection. In this study, we developed and validated a rapid total nucleic acid extraction method based on real‐time RT-PCR for reliable, high‐throughput identification of SARS-CoV-2 using the BD MAX platform. For clinical validation, 300 throat swab and 100 sputum clinical samples were examined by both the BD MAX platform and in-house real-time RT-PCR methods, which showed 100% concordant results. This BD MAX protocol is fully automated and the turnaround time from sample to results is approximately 2.5 h for 24 samples compared to 4.8 h by in-house real-time RT-PCR. Our developed BD MAX RT-PCR assay can accurately identify SARS-CoV-2 infection and shorten the turnaround time to increase the effectiveness of control and prevention measures for this emerging infectious disease.
