Frontiers in Public Health (Oct 2020)
Identification of a Novel Pathogen Using Family-Wide PCR: Initial Confirmation of COVID-19 in Thailand
- Supaporn Wacharapluesadee,
- Supaporn Wacharapluesadee,
- Rome Buathong,
- Sopon Iamsirithawon,
- Walairat Chaifoo,
- Teerada Ponpinit,
- Teerada Ponpinit,
- Chanida Ruchisrisarod,
- Chanida Ruchisrisarod,
- Chanikarn Sonpee,
- Chanikarn Sonpee,
- Panticha Katasrila,
- Panticha Katasrila,
- Siriporn Yomrat,
- Siriporn Yomrat,
- Siriporn Ghai,
- Siriporn Ghai,
- Sunee Sirivichayakul,
- Pilailuk Okada,
- Nanthawan Mekha,
- Opart Karnkawinpong,
- Sumonmal Uttayamakul,
- Apichart Vachiraphan,
- Tanarak Plipat,
- Thiravat Hemachudha,
- Thiravat Hemachudha
Affiliations
- Supaporn Wacharapluesadee
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Thailand
- Supaporn Wacharapluesadee
- Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Rome Buathong
- Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Sopon Iamsirithawon
- Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Walairat Chaifoo
- Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Teerada Ponpinit
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Thailand
- Teerada Ponpinit
- Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Chanida Ruchisrisarod
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Thailand
- Chanida Ruchisrisarod
- Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Chanikarn Sonpee
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Thailand
- Chanikarn Sonpee
- Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Panticha Katasrila
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Thailand
- Panticha Katasrila
- Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Siriporn Yomrat
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Thailand
- Siriporn Yomrat
- Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Siriporn Ghai
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Thailand
- Siriporn Ghai
- Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Sunee Sirivichayakul
- Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Pilailuk Okada
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Nanthawan Mekha
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Opart Karnkawinpong
- Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Sumonmal Uttayamakul
- Department of Disease Control, Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Institute, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Apichart Vachiraphan
- Department of Disease Control, Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Institute, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Tanarak Plipat
- Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
- Thiravat Hemachudha
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Thailand
- Thiravat Hemachudha
- Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.555013
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 8
Abstract
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.
Keywords
