Abstract
Containment strategies and clinical management of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients during the current pandemic depend on reliable diagnostic PCR assays for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here, we compare 11 different RT-PCR test systems used in seven diagnostic laboratories in Germany in March 2020. While most assays performed well, we identified detection problems in a commonly used assay that may have resulted in false-negative test results during the first weeks of the pandemic.
Keywords:
COVID-19; PCR; SARS-CoV-2; diagnostic test.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Multicenter Study
MeSH terms
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Betacoronavirus / genetics*
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COVID-19
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COVID-19 Testing
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COVID-19 Vaccines
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Clinical Laboratory Techniques / instrumentation
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Clinical Laboratory Techniques / methods*
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Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
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Diagnostic Equipment*
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Feces / virology
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Germany
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Humans
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Laboratories
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Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / instrumentation
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Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
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Pandemics
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Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
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Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / instrumentation
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Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / instrumentation
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
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SARS-CoV-2
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Sensitivity and Specificity