Multicentre comparison of quantitative PCR-based assays to detect SARS-CoV-2, Germany, March 2020

Muenchhoff, Maximilian; Mairhofer, Helga; Nitschko, Hans; Grzimek-Koschewa, Natascha; Hoffmann, Dieter; Berger, Annemarie; Rabenau, Holger; Widera, Marek; Ackermann, Nikolaus; Konrad, Regina; Zange, Sabine; Graf, Alexander; Krebs, Stefan; Blum, Helmut; Sing, Andreas; Liebl, Bernhard; Woelfel, Roman; Ciesek, Sandra; Drosten, Christian; Protzer, Ulrike; Boehm, Stephan und Keppler, Oliver T. (2020): Multicentre comparison of quantitative PCR-based assays to detect SARS-CoV-2, Germany, March 2020. In: Eurosurveillance, Vol. 25, No. 24, 2001057: pp. 2-6

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.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Medicine
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• ISSN: 1560-7917
• Language: English