Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Herein, the authors describe a simple enhancement to a commercial rapid DNA extraction kit based on simple viral lysis for detecting COVID-19 via RT-qPCR.
METHODS
After testing several different modifications, the adapted protocol with the best results in preliminary experiments was statistically evaluated in comparison with an automated robotic protocol.
RESULTS
Processing and testing of 119 nasopharyngeal samples ultimately yielded near-perfect agreement with the automated protocol (κ = 0.981 [95% confidence interval 0.943-1.000]).
CONCLUSIONS
The low cost and rapidity of the enhanced protocol makes it suitable for adoption in laboratories diagnosing COVID-19, especially those with high demand for examinations.
Keywords:
COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Rapid extraction protocol; RT-qPCR