Comparative Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Detection Kits

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus that causes a respiratory disease, COVID-19. For COVID-19 testing, real-time PCR is considered gold standard and therefore many commercial SARS-Cov-2 detection kits are available. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to determine diagnostic values of 10 different commercially available SARS-CoV-2 detection kits, based on their Ct value. METHODS: For this study thirty clinical nasopharyngeal samples were collected in ALEA Genetic Center. Twenty four of them were positive, while six were negative and used as a negative control. Positive samples were selected based on the day when first symptoms appeared. RNA was extracted using the same extraction method for all samples. For amplification and comparison of detection kits, the same RT- PCR instrument was used. RESULTS: Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and Cohen’s kappa coefficient were estimated to evaluate diagnostic values of the tested kits. This study showed that all kits showed 100% specificity. Accuracy, sensitivity and kappa coefficient varied among examined assays. Based on clinical features, LabGun(TM) COVID-19 Assay by LabGenomics proved to be the most sensitive, the most accurate and most specific. Therefore this assay was used as a reference kit. CONCLUSION: If things from practice are taken into account, accuracy and reliability of the tested commercial kits can vary compared to those obtained in this study where results were based on ideal functioning of the kits. When choosing the convenient commercial SARS-CoV-2 detection kit using RT-PCR method, many parameters need to be considered.