Abstract
The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is largely driven by community transmission, after 2019 novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV or SARS-CoV-2) crosses the borders. To stop the spread, rapid testing is required at community clinics and hospitals. These rapid tests should be comparable with the standard PCR technology. Isothermal amplification technology provides an excellent alternative that is highly amenable to resource limited settings, where expertise and infrastructure to support PCR are not available. In this review, we provide a brief description of isothermal amplification technology, its potential and the gaps that need to be considered for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Among this emerging technology, loop-mediated amplification (LAMP), recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and Nicking enzyme-assisted reaction (NEAR) technologies have been identified as potential platforms that could be implemented at community level, without samples referral to a centralized laboratory and prolonged turnaround time associated with the standard COVID-19 RT-PCR test. LAMP, for example, has recently been shown to be comparable with PCR and could be performed in less than 30 min by non-laboratory staff, without RNA extractions commonly associated with PCR. Interestingly, NEAR (ID NOW™ COVID-19 (Abbott, IL, USA) was able to detect the virus in 5 min. More so, isothermal platforms are cost effective and could easily be scaled up to resource limited settings. Diagnostics developers, scientific community and commercial companies could consider this alternative method to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Highlights
On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared SARS-CoV-2 as a global public health emergency [1]
This review provides a brief description of common isothermal technologies that could be potentially deployed as point of care tests at community clinics and hospitals
loop-mediated amplification (LAMP), recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and Nicking enzyme-assisted reaction (NEAR) have recently emerged as potential technologies that could obviate the need for PCR and can be used at community clinics and hospitals in order to identify both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, potentially reducing the spread of COVID-19
Summary
On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared SARS-CoV-2 as a global public health emergency [1]. This test can detect either SARS-CoV-2 antigens or antibodies like IgM and IgG developed introduction of rapid immunoassay coupled on lateral flow strip as point of care test has been against the virus. While this testing method has the advantage of absolutely reducing the turnaround developed. LAMP, RPA and NEAR have recently emerged as potential technologies that could obviate the need for PCR and can be used at community clinics and hospitals in order to identify both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, potentially reducing the spread of COVID-19.
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