Emerging Infectious Diseases (Aug 2020)

Delayed Laboratory Response to COVID-19 Caused by Molecular Diagnostic Contamination

  • Ramona Mögling,
  • Adam Meijer,
  • Natasa Berginc,
  • Sylvia Bruisten,
  • Remi Charrel,
  • Bruno Coutard,
  • Isabella Eckerle,
  • Vincent Enouf,
  • Olav Hungnes,
  • Gülay Korukluoglu,
  • Thanos Kossyvakis,
  • Andreas Mentis,
  • Richard Molenkamp,
  • Shaman Muradrasoli,
  • Anna Papa,
  • Fiona Pigny,
  • Laurence Thirion,
  • Sylvie van der Werf,
  • Chantal Reusken

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2608.201843
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 26, no. 8
pp. 1944 – 1946

Abstract

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The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) created an exceptional situation in which numerous laboratories in Europe simultaneously implemented SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics. These laboratories reported in February 2020 that commercial primer and probe batches for SARS-CoV-2 detection were contaminated with synthetic control material, causing delays of regional testing roll-out in various countries.

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