Abstract
We present two real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assays for a novel human coronavirus (CoV), targeting regions upstream of the E gene (upE) or within open reading frame (ORF)1b, respectively. Sensitivity for upE is 3.4 copies per reaction (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.5–6.9 copies) or 291 copies/mL of sample. No cross-reactivity was observed with coronaviruses OC43, NL63, 229E, SARS-CoV, nor with 92 clinical specimens containing common human respiratory viruses. We recommend using upE for screening and ORF1b for confirmation.
Highlights
Coronaviruses (CoV) are large positive-stranded RNA viruses causing mainly respiratory and enteric disease in a range of animals and in humans
The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV constitutes a fifth human coronaviruses (hCoV), which was in circulation for a limited time during 2002 and 2003, when a novel virus appeared in humans and caused an outbreak affecting at least 8,000 people
A confirmatory test was designed in the open reading frame 1b
Summary
Coronaviruses (CoV) are large positive-stranded RNA viruses causing mainly respiratory and enteric disease in a range of animals and in humans. Humans are known to maintain circulation of four different human coronaviruses (hCoV) at a global population level. These are part of the spectrum of agents that cause the common cold. The SARS-CoV constitutes a fifth hCoV, which was in circulation for a limited time during 2002 and 2003, when a novel virus appeared in humans and caused an outbreak affecting at least 8,000 people. Symptoms matched the clinical picture of acute primary viral pneumonia, termed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
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