Overview of current methods for assessment of the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 specimens
CHEN Ai-ping1,2, ZHANG Yong-jun1,2
1. Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing 401331, China; 2. Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory for High Pathogenic Microbes, Chongqing 400042, China
Abstract：In the context of COVID-19, mass testing of SARS-CoV-2 specimens is widely implemented in diverse settings for diagnosis of suspected cases, contact tracing, and infection control and prevention. Mass testing has played an important role in mitigating rapid viral transmission. Routine nucleic acid amplification tests can detect the presence of genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 in specimens but cannot differentiate between the presence of replication-competent virus and remnant noninfectious RNA. Cell-culture-based viral isolation is the classical approach for assessing the potential infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 specimens; however, a requirement of high biosafety facilities makes this method accessible to small clinical laboratories lacking expertise. In this review, the pros and cons of several methods capable of predicting the viability or transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 in specimens are summarized. A standardized protocol, serving as a surrogate for virus culture, is expected to be established to facilitate rapid assessment of the potential infectivity of PCR-positive specimens in small laboratories, thus enabling rational allocation of public health resources, and helping to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
陈爱平, 张拥军. SARS-CoV-2病毒样品感染性评估方法概述[J]. 中国人兽共患病学报, 2022, 38(6): 523-527.
CHEN Ai-ping, ZHANG Yong-jun. Overview of current methods for assessment of the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 specimens. Chinese Journal of Zoonoses, 2022, 38(6): 523-527.
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