Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hospital St. Georg, Leipzig, Germany.
PLoS One. 2020 Dec 31;15(12):e0244824. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244824. eCollection 2020.
SARS-CoV-2 causes substantial morbidity and mortality in elderly and immunocompromised individuals, particularly in retirement homes, where transmission from asymptomatic staff and visitors may introduce the infection. Here we present a cheap and fast screening method based on direct RT-qPCR to detect SARS-CoV-2 in single or pooled gargle lavages ("mouthwashes"). This method detects individuals with large viral loads (Ct≤29) and we use it to test all staff at a nursing home daily over a period of three weeks in order to reduce the risk that the infection penetrates the facility. This or similar approaches can be implemented to protect hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions in this and future viral epidemics.
SARS-CoV-2 在老年人和免疫功能低下者中引起大量发病率和死亡率,特别是在养老院中,无症状的工作人员和访客可能会传播感染。在这里,我们提出了一种基于直接 RT-qPCR 的廉价且快速的筛查方法,用于检测单份或混合漱口液中的 SARS-CoV-2。该方法检测到病毒载量较大的个体(Ct≤29),我们使用它来在三周的时间内对养老院的所有员工进行每日检测,以降低感染渗透到设施的风险。这种或类似的方法可以用于保护医院、养老院和其他机构在本次和未来的病毒流行中免受感染。