Optimization of the CDC Protocol of Molecular Diagnosis of COVID-19 for Timely Diagnosis

Chao-Ju Chen; Li-Ling Hsieh; Shu-Kai Lin; Chu-Feng Wang; Yi-Hui Huang; Shang-Yi Lin; Po-Liang Lu

doi:10.3390/diagnostics10050333

Optimization of the CDC Protocol of Molecular Diagnosis of COVID-19 for Timely Diagnosis

Diagnostics (Basel). 2020 May 21;10(5):333. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics10050333.

Authors

Chao-Ju Chen¹, Li-Ling Hsieh¹, Shu-Kai Lin¹, Chu-Feng Wang¹, Yi-Hui Huang¹, Shang-Yi Lin^{1

2

3}, Po-Liang Lu^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80756, Taiwan.
² Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80756, Taiwan.
³ College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the current uncontrolled outbreak of infectious disease, has caused significant challenges throughout the world. A reliable rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19 is demanded worldwide. The real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain was one of the most quickly established methods in the novel viral pandemic and was considered as the gold standard for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this report, we illustrate our experience of applying a protocol from the Taiwan CDC and achieving assay optimization in the immediate circumstances to meet the urgent medical and public health needs.

Keywords: coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); molecular diagnostics; real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain (RT-PCR); severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).