Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Int J Infect Dis. 2022 Mar;116:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.12.328. Epub 2021 Dec 15.
Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing is indispensable in management of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, with the emergence of new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, the cause of COVID-19, the screening capacity of RT-PCR testing is overburdened, and new strategies and capabilities need to be established. One option is pooled RT-PCR testing.
This study used various mixtures of COVID-19 samples known to be negative and positive, and investigated the impact of pool size and mixture level on final cycle threshold (Ct) values. More specifically, 5, 10 and 20 negative samples were combined with one, two or three low Ct or high Ct positive samples.
Average baseline Ct and numbers of high and low Ct samples in the pool were found to be the main drivers of the final Ct value, making detectability easier. Pool size was not significantly associated with final Ct, but was suggestive.
A pooled RT-PCR testing strategy does not reduce the sensitivity of RT-PCR, and thus provides a practical way to expand RT-PCR screening capacity in pandemic management. The pool size was not found to be significant, so it is recommended that a pool size of 20 would be a practical number to reduce the time taken to obtain the results and the cost of RT-PCR testing.
逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测对于 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行的管理是不可或缺的。然而，随着严重急性呼吸系统综合征冠状病毒 2（COVID-19 的致病原）新变体的出现，RT-PCR 检测的筛查能力不堪重负，需要建立新的策略和能力。一种选择是混合 RT-PCR 检测。
本研究使用了各种已知为阴性和阳性的 COVID-19 样本混合物，研究了池大小和混合物水平对最终循环阈值（Ct）值的影响。更具体地说，将 5、10 和 20 个阴性样本与一个、两个或三个低 Ct 或高 Ct 阳性样本混合。
发现平均基线 Ct 和池中的高 Ct 和低 Ct 样本数量是最终 Ct 值的主要驱动因素，使检测变得更容易。池大小与最终 Ct 无显著相关性，但具有提示意义。
混合 RT-PCR 检测策略不会降低 RT-PCR 的敏感性，因此为在大流行管理中扩大 RT-PCR 筛查能力提供了一种实用方法。池大小并不显著，因此建议池大小为 20 是一种实用的方法，可以减少获得结果的时间和 RT-PCR 检测的成本。
