Analyses of 11 commercially available PCR kits to detect monkeypox virus DNA DNA Monkeypox Virus Virology PCR medrxivpreprint rki_de WHO
Study: Evaluation of eleven commercially available PCR kits for the detection of Monkeypox virus DNA. Image Credit: Salov Evgeniy / Shutterstock
About the study In the present study, researchers evaluated 11 ready-to-use RT-PCR kits for MPXV diagnosis against the reference diagnostic workflow of the German Consultant Lab for poxviruses. The 18-specimen reference panel comprised deoxyribonucleic acid from MPXV clade I, clade IIa and clade IIb, other OPV, and varicella-zoster virus . More specifically, it had one generic OPV PCR, one MPXV-specific PCR, and one MPXV clade II-specific PCR.
For a more detailed characterization of the test kits, the team plotted the CT values for each DNA sample relative to the number of genome equivalents , determined using a plasmid standard curve. Finally, they examined the slope of the curve, reflecting RT-PCR efficiency, and the Y-intercept, which indicated the theoretically minimal CT value obtained with an assay.
Some test manuals mentioned the limit of detection in DNA copies/mL, which is not an optimal metric for crusts and dry swab samples. Encouragingly, all controls included in the kits performed as expected. Also, these test kits performed within the range specified by their respective manuals.