An updated review of SARS‐CoV‐2 detection methods in the context of a novel coronavirus pandemic

Abstract

The World Health Organization has reported approximately 430 million confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), worldwide, including nearly 6 million deaths, since its initial appearance in China in 2019. While the number of diagnosed cases continues to increase, the need for technologies that can accurately and rapidly detect SARS‐CoV‐2 virus infection at early phases continues to grow, and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has licensed emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for virtually hundreds of diagnostic tests based on nucleic acid molecules and antigen–antibody serology assays. Among them, the quantitative real‐time reverse transcription PCR (qRT‐PCR) assay is considered the gold standard for early phase virus detection. Unfortunately, qRT‐PCR still suffers from disadvantages such as the complex test process and the occurrence of false negatives; therefore, new nucleic acid detection devices and serological testing technologies are being developed. However, because of the emergence of strongly infectious mutants of the new coronavirus, such as Alpha (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529), the need for the specific detection of mutant strains is also increasing. Therefore, this article reviews nucleic acid‐ and antigen–antibody‐based serological assays, and compares the performance of some of the most recent FDA‐approved and literature‐reported assays and associated kits for the specific testing of new coronavirus variants.

SARS-CoV-2 multi-variant rapid detector based on graphene transistor functionalized with an engineered dimeric ACE2 receptor

“…The pandemic caused by the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 has greatly impacted human lives and the global economy [1] , [2] , [3] . To monitor the spread of SARS-CoV-2, several diagnostic tests are being developed [4] , with the most widely employed ones being based on viral RNA amplification ( i.e. , molecular tests) or viral proteins detection via specific antibodies ( i.e.…”

Self-enhancement lateral flow immunoassay for COVID-19 diagnosis

“…Obviously, in the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, the demand for LFIA for detecting the cause of the disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen, has rapidly grown. However, although nucleic-acid-based detection for the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome as real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been commended for being the reference standard given its excellent sensitivity and specificity, the required laboratory machines, long-time processing (> 2 h), and trained laboratory staff are inadequate [3] , [4] . Therefore, gold nanoparticle (AuNP) colorimetric-based LFIA devices have been favored because their rapid and user-friendly operation with acceptable accuracy contributes to timely decisions of clinical diagnoses, therapeutic mediations, and infection control interventions [5] , [6] .…”

The use of bioinformatics methods to identify the effects of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses on the regulation of gene expression in patients

“…1.1.529) have also been identified one after another, becoming the main circulating strains in some countries. This has caused heavy human and economic losses worldwide (3).In addition, the beginning of the flu season can seriously affect human health. As a common respiratory pathogen, the flu causes seasonal epidemics and severe sporadic epidemics worldwide (4).…”