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Changes to the SARS-CoV-2 genome—including some of those found in currently circulating variants—can negatively affect the detection of the virus by reverse transcription (RT) PCR, according to a study published on April 26 in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology. The researchers propose that mutations in the loci recognized by DNA primers may reduce the amplification of viral sequences and, as a result, potentially hinder the detection of the virus in samples from COVID-19–positive individuals.
This finding isn’t cause for full-blown panic, the authors say. “We thought maybe this could be more common than not. But it turns out, it’s actually fairly rare,” says coauthor David Wang, a virologist at Washington University. Wang and his colleagues recommend that diagnostic tests include more than one target to ensure proper SARS-CoV-2 detection. While a number of products already include multiple genetic targets, some COVID-19 RT-PCR assays authorized for emergency ...
