SO Butthuber
Rapid implementation of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing to investigate cases of health-care associated COVID-19: a prospective genomic surveillance study
Published:July 14, 2020DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30562-4
236 Patients were isolated either pre-emptively (suspected COVID-19) or immediately after a confirmed PCR positive result. Clinical specimens collected from patients presenting to 18 hospitals in the East of England were submitted to the Public Health England Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory at CUH for diagnostic testing. Samples underwent nucleic acid extraction and were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 with a validated in-house RT-qPCR assay developed by the Public Health England Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory (
appendix p 1). The test was reported as SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive if the cycle threshold (Ct) value was 36 or less.
FROM READING THIS PAPE AND SPEAKING TO EXPERTS IN THE FIELD (and doing a viral PCR test on a weekley basis oneself too)
Does it detect the presence of Sars-CoVirus-2?
YES
The test only measures sequences, i.e. nucleic acids that are supposed to be contained in the virus. These sequences were identified by Chinese scientists at the beginning of the corona crisis and extrapolated to an "overall structure" of the virus in a computer model. The virus in question has never before been extracted from the blood of a sick person, obtained in its pure form and examined
. AS YOU WILL SEE IN THIS PAPER IT WAS ISOLATED FROM 236 PATIENTS IN THIS COUNTRY AND SEQUENCED
Does the test say anything about the virus, for example, whether it multiplies in the host, in us?
YES, BECAUSE YOU CAN TAKE MULTIPLE SAMPLES AND WATCH IT MULTIPLE IN THE HOST.
Or whether it will make people sick?
ALL PATIENTS WHO ARE SICK WITH COVID 19 (THE DISEASE) HAVE SARS2-COVID19 VIRUS
Or does the test perhaps say something about whether a person being tested carries a small or large intact viral load.
YES FROM THE CYCLE THRESHOLD VALUE, GIVES A PRETTY GOOD ESTIMATION OF THE VIRAL LOAD
Or whether it has already penetrated a cell?
THE PCR TEST DOESN'T, BUT THE AMOUNT OF FLUID & DEBRIS ON THE LUNG INDICATES THE AMOUNT OF DEAD , VIRIALLY PENETRATED CELLS THERE ARE. WE HAVE ALSO GOT IT GROWING IN THE LAB NOW ON ENDOTHELIAL CELLS IN PETRI DISHES TOO.
Does the test say anything about the risk of infection?
...NO BUT THE EPIDEMIOLOGY SAYS THAT.