用于新型冠状病毒检测的核酸等温扩增技术研究进展

核酸检测作为新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)筛查诊断和病情监测的主要手段,在疫情防控中发挥了重要作用。虽然实时荧光定量PCR被认为是新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)核酸检测的金标准,但其依赖荧光定量PCR仪且扩增检测时间较长,难以实现现场快速检测。因此许多基于核酸等温扩增的SARS-CoV-2检测方法相继诞生。等温扩增对仪器温控要求不高,通过与微流控芯片和可视化检测技术结合,可进一步简化操作、降低成本,为SARS-CoV-2现场快速筛查提供有力的技术支撑。本文围绕已报道的SARS-CoV-2等温扩增检测方法原理、检测性能及优缺点进行探讨,为进一步发展SARS-CoV-2现场快速检测平台提供参考。     

COVID-19确诊病例居住环境病毒检测结果分析及防控探讨

新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)传播速度快、感染范围广,其感染方式主要是聚集性感染,感染途径主要是呼吸道飞沫和接触传播。了解环境中,特别是COVID-19确诊病人生活环境中的病毒存在情况,是做好环境消毒,阻断新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)传播的重要步骤,对COVID-19防控具有重要意义。本研究旨在探讨COVID-19患者生活环境中SARS-CoV-2的存在情况,从SARS-CoV-2存在的空间部位、病毒核酸含量、消毒效果等方面对SARS-CoV-2的相关特点做出初步研究,为制定有效的SARS-CoV-2防控措施提供科学依据。本研究以COVID-19病例治疗前的3个家庭居住环境和治疗出院后隔离期间的2个宾馆居住环境中采集的样本为研究材料,采用RT-PCR方法检测样本中的SARS-CoV-2核酸并进行比较分析。结果显示,首次从3个家庭环境中采样48份,RTPCR检测SARS-CoV-2核酸阳性5份(10.42%),3个家庭的环境样本中均有阳性样本检出。首次采样48h后在家庭3进行第二次采样16份,SARS-CoV-2核酸检测阳性2份(12.5%),检测Ct值比首次升高。家庭3消毒后24h采集的16份样本SARS-CoV-2核酸检测均为阴性,并且两处宾馆环境采集的24份样本SARS-CoV-2核酸检测也均为阴性。本研究提示,COVID-19病例的生活环境中可以检出SARS-CoV-2,病毒存在区域、存在物品、病毒核酸含量均有差异;对外环境进行消毒可以达到消毒目的,能够起到阻断SARS-CoV-2传播的防控效果。     

对383份鸟类样品检测未发现SARS-CoV-2阳性

2019年12月以来,全球大面积发现了由新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)引起的新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)疫情,病毒溯源一直是研究的重点。目前在畜禽和毛皮动物中均未检测出病原,而关于SARS-CoV-2在珍禽和濒危候鸟的溯源性研究至今尚未报道。本研究收集了2019-2020年吉林省内绿头鸭、白羽鸭、雉鸡、鸿雁、白天鹅等10种珍禽和濒危候鸟的咽拭子、肛拭子和粪便样品共383份。通过WHO推荐Real-time RT-PCR方法对上述样品中SARS-CoV-2进行检测。结果显示,383份样品中SARS-CoV-2核酸检测结果均为阴性。     

新型冠状病毒突变株Omicron核酸检测的TaqMan探针设计

Omicron（奥密克戎）作为最新的新型冠状病毒（SARS-CoV-2）突变株，其带有大量的突变位点，且突变位点主要位于S蛋白上，这不仅会增加再次感染病毒的风险，同时也会大幅降低疫苗和抗体疗法的的效果。Omicron携带的突变虽不影响国内现使用的核酸检测试剂，但这些检测试剂不能有效地鉴别出Omicron突变株。本研究通过对Omicron以及其他SARS-CoV-2突变株的基因序列进行分析，设计了能特异性检测Omicron突变株的TaqMan探针。同时，该探针可与现有的核酸检测体系进行结合，实现SARS-CoV-2核酸检测和Omicron突变株鉴别的双重功能。     

新型冠状病毒肺炎感染病例中鼻咽拭子与咽拭子标本的病毒核酸检验结果分析

新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)主要通过飞沫和密切接触传播,传染性强,目前在全球蔓延,给人的身体健康及世界公共卫生安全造成了严重的损害。病毒核酸检验是新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)病例确诊的金标准。本研究分别采集武汉江夏方舱医院67例确诊为COVID-19病例的鼻咽拭子与咽拭子标本送检,进行SARS-CoV-2核酸检验。其中28例患者鼻咽拭子病毒核酸呈阳性,13例患者咽拭子病毒核酸呈阳性,26例患者鼻咽拭子与咽拭子病毒核酸均为阴性。本研究结果提示,鼻咽拭子送检标本病毒核酸检验结果优于咽拭子标本(P<0.05)。     

新型冠状病毒抗体检测试剂的临床性能评估方案

新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)已在全球形成大流行,目前其确诊主要依靠病毒核酸检测,但核酸检测存在漏诊及对检测条件要求较高等不足。与核酸检测相比,抗体检测通常具有普及面广、样品采集便捷、容易实现高通量、成本低等优点,与核酸检测联合应用可有效弥补核酸检测的缺陷。本研究设计了评价新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)抗体检测试剂盒的详细方案,包括对研究对象、样本量评估、纳入及排除标准、盲法设计、实验标本、伦理、研究管理及质量控制、数据管理与统计分析、结果报告的具体内容和考量,旨在帮助使用者在大规模应用抗体检测试剂前系统地评估抗体检测试剂的灵敏度、特异度等关键临床性能,以根据各自的检测目的在不同抗体检测试剂中做出合理的选择提供参考。     

我国部分地区犬冠状病毒感染状况调查

本研究旨在调查新冠疫情期间我国部分地区犬新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)以及犬冠状病毒(CCoV)感染状况。从14个城市的动物医院收集表现为呼吸道症状和或腹泻症状的犬的鼻拭子和直肠拭子样品,RTPCR检测样品是否存在SARS-CoV-2和CCoV核酸。结果显示,206只犬鼻拭子和直肠拭子样品均未检出SARS-CoV-2,24只犬检出CCoV,阳性率为11.65%,以犬肠道冠状病毒(CECoV)感染为主(19/24),CECoVⅠ和Ⅱ型均在我国流行。CECoV的M基因序列与人α冠状病毒属病毒相似性为47.3-61.3%,犬呼吸道冠状病毒(CRCoV)的M和N基因的部分基因序列与人β冠状病毒属病毒相似性为9.2%-46.2%。结果说明,新冠疫情期间,我国14个城市动物医院就诊犬未感染SARS-CoV-2,CCoV与SARS-CoV-2亲缘关系较远,表现呼吸道和消化道症状的犬应高度关注CCoV感染。     

基于三种试剂盒分析新型冠状病毒特异性抗体的动态变化

为了解新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)发病后血清中新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)特异性抗体的动态变化,本研究使用三种不同检测原理的SARS-CoV-2抗体检测试剂盒,对来自甘肃省33例核酸检测阳性的COVID-19确诊病例的58份血清标本,分别进行了病毒特异性抗体(IgM、IgG和总抗体)的检测。结果显示,COVID-19发病后IgM、IgG和总抗体阳性率随发病时间的推移而逐渐上升:发病早期3d以内,三种试剂盒检测病毒特异性抗体阳性率在13.6%～31.8%之间;发病4～7d时,阳性率在36.4%～45.5%之间;发病8～14d时,阳性率在55.6%～77.8%之间;而发病15d以上时,阳性率达到100%。此外,本研究使用三种试剂盒检测了健康人血清标本,检测特异性在99%～100%之间。统计学分析结果显示,三种检测试剂盒的检测结果差异无显著性(P0.05)。综上所述,三种SARS-CoV-2抗体检测试剂盒均具有较好的敏感性和特异性,可用于COVID-19疑似病例在核酸检测阴性时的辅助诊断;本研究初步获得的SARS-CoV-2特异性抗体动态变化特征可为COVID-19血清流行病学调查和无症状感染者研究提供重要的基础依据。     

对775份毛皮动物样品检测未发现新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)核酸阳性

目前,2019新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)在我国各地暴发和流行,但其主要来源尚不清楚。曾有报道称该病毒来源于野生动物,如蝙蝠。而有关SARS-CoV-2在我国北方地区人工养殖的水貂、狐狸和貉等毛皮动物中的溯源性研究尚未见报道。本研究收集2016～2019年吉林、黑龙江、辽宁、河北和山东5个省份14个地区的不明原因死亡的水貂、狐狸和貉的625份组织样品,以及2019年8～12月在吉林省采集的水貂、狐和貉的150份粪便样品,通过WHO推荐的Real-time RT-PCR检测方法对上述组织及粪便样品中SARS-CoV-2进行检测。结果显示,上述775份样品中SARS-CoV-2核酸检测结果均为阴性。     

3例COVID-19出院后核酸复检阳性患者的检测分析

新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)核酸检测是新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)病例确诊的金标准,血清抗体检测是重要辅助手段。本文对重庆市江津区中心医院3例COVID-19出院后核酸复检阳性患者,回顾性分析在疾病初期确诊、治疗出院、转诊隔离全程诊疗过程中患者临床病例及其核酸和抗体检测结果,结合患者体内新冠病毒核酸确诊到完全转阴时间变化,初步探讨COVID-19临床治愈出院患者核酸和抗体检测与疾病传染性因素的相关性,为新冠肺炎患者治疗康复过程的病毒感染监测提供参考。     

An integrated rapid nucleic acid detection assay based on recombinant polymerase amplification for SARS-CoV-2

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus that causes the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (Li et al., 2020a). Viral nucleic acid testing is the standard method for the laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 (Wu et al., 2020a; Zhu et al., 2020). Currently, a variety of qPCR-based detection kits are used for laboratory-based detection and confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection (Corman et al., 2020; Hussein et al., 2020; Ruhan et al., 2020; Veyer et al., 2020). Conventional qPCR involves virus inactivation, nucleic acid extraction, and qPCR amplification procedures. Therefore, the process is complicated, which usually takes longer than 2 h, and requires biosafety laboratories and professional staff. Thus, qPCR is not suitable for use in field or medical units. To reduce the operation steps, automatic integrated qPCR detection systems that combine nucleic acid extraction and qPCR amplification in a sealed cartridge were developed to detect viruses in clinical samples (Li et al., 2020b). However, the detection time is still longer than 1 h. Therefore, rapid nucleic acid detection systems are needed to further improve the detection efficiency.     

Real-time optical analysis of a colorimetric LAMP assay for SARS-CoV-2 in saliva with a handheld instrument improves accuracy compared with endpoint assessment

Controlling the course of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic will require widespread deployment of consistent and accurate diagnostic testing of the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Ideally, tests should detect a minimum viral load, be minimally invasive, and provide a rapid and simple readout. Current Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved RT-qPCR–based standard diagnostic approaches require invasive nasopharyngeal swabs and involve laboratory-based analyses that can delay results. Recently, a loop-mediated isothermal nucleic acid amplification (LAMP) test that utilizes colorimetric readout received FDA approval. This approach utilizes a pH indicator dye to detect drop in pH from nucleotide hydrolysis during nucleic acid amplification. This method has only been approved for use with RNA extracted from clinical specimens collected via nasopharyngeal swabs. In this study, we developed a quantitative LAMP-based strategy to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva. Our detection system distinguished positive from negative sample types using a handheld instrument that monitors optical changes throughout the LAMP reaction. We used this system in a streamlined LAMP testing protocol that could be completed in less than 2 h to directly detect inactivated SARS-CoV-2 in minimally processed saliva that bypassed RNA extraction, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 50 genomes/reaction. The quantitative method correctly detected virus in 100% of contrived clinical samples spiked with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 at either 1× (50 genomes/reaction) or 2× (100 genomes/reaction) of the LOD. Importantly, the quantitative method was based on dynamic optical changes during the reaction and was able to correctly classify samples that were misclassified by endpoint observation of color.     

The use of NASBA for the detection of microbial pathogens in food and environmental samples

The isothermal amplification method nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), which amplifies RNA, has been reported as useful for the detection of microbial pathogens in food and environmental samples. Methods have been published for Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis in various foods and for Cryptosporidium parvum in water. Both 16S rRNA and various mRNAs have been used as target molecules for detection; the latter may have advantages in allowing specific detection of viable cells. Most of the methods to detect pathogens in foods have employed enrichment in nutrient medium prior to NASBA, as this can ensure sensitivity of detection and encourage the detection of only viable target cells. Although a relatively recent method, NASBA has the potential for adoption as a diagnostic tool for environmental pathogens.     

Nucleic acid sequence based amplification for the rapid and sensitive detection of Salmonella enterica from foods

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to apply nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) for the detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) in representative foods. METHODS AND RESULTS: A previously reported primer and probe set based on mRNA sequences of the dnaK gene of Salmonella were used in this study. To test for possible food matrix inhibition and assay detection limits, 25-g samples of representative food commodities (fresh meats, poultry, fish, ready-to-eat salads and bakery products) were pre-enriched with and without S. Enteritidis inoculation. The NucliSens(R) Basic Kit, supplemented with enzymes from various other commercial sources, was used for RNA isolation, NASBA amplification and electrochemiluminescent (ECL) detection. The end point detection limit of the NASBA-ECL assay was equivalent to 101 CFU of S. Enteritidis per amplification reaction. When the assay was tested on noncontaminated foods, none of the food matrices produced false-positive results. Some of the food matrices inhibited the NASBA-ECL reaction unless the associated RNA was diluted 10-fold prior to amplification. CONCLUSIONS: For all food items tested, positive ECL signals were achieved after 18 h of pre-enrichment and subsequent NASBA at initial inoculum levels of 102 and 101 CFU per 25 g food sample. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This rapid, semi-automated detection method has potential for use in the food, agricultural and public health sectors.     

Research progress in the detection of common foodborne hazardous substances based on functional nucleic acids biosensors

With the further improvement of food safety requirements, the development of fast, highly sensitive, and portable methods for the determination of foodborne hazardous substances has become a new trend in the food industry. In recent years, biosensors and platforms based on functional nucleic acids, along with a range of signal amplification devices and methods, have been established to enable rapid and sensitive determination of specific substances in samples, opening up a new avenue of analysis and detection. In this paper, functional nucleic acid types including aptamers, deoxyribozymes, and G-quadruplexes which are commonly used in the detection of food source pollutants are introduced. Signal amplification elements include quantum dots, noble metal nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, DNA walkers, and DNA logic gates. Signal amplification technologies including nucleic acid isothermal amplification, hybridization chain reaction, catalytic hairpin assembly, biological barcodes, and microfluidic system are combined with functional nucleic acids sensors and applied to the detection of many foodborne hazardous substances, such as foodborne pathogens, mycotoxins, residual antibiotics, residual pesticides, industrial pollutants, heavy metals, and allergens. Finally, the potential opportunities and broad prospects of functional nucleic acids biosensors in the field of food analysis are discussed.     

The importance of naturally attenuated SARS-CoV-2in the fight against COVID-19

The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is wreaking havoc throughout the world and has rapidly become a global health emergency. A central question concerning COVID-19 is why some individuals become sick and others not. Many have pointed already at variation in risk factors between individuals. However, the variable outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infections may, at least in part, be due also to differences between the viral subspecies with which individuals are infected. A more pertinent question is how we are to overcome the current pandemic. A vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 would offer significant relief, although vaccine developers have warned that design, testing and production of vaccines may take a year if not longer. Vaccines are based on a handful of different designs (i), but the earliest vaccines were based on the live, attenuated virus. As has been the case for other viruses during earlier pandemics, SARS-CoV-2 will mutate and may naturally attenuate over time (ii). What makes the current pandemic unique is that, thanks to state-of-the-art nucleic acid sequencing technologies, we can follow in detail how SARS-CoV-2 evolves while it spreads. We argue that knowledge of naturally emerging attenuated SARS-CoV-2 variants across the globe should be of key interest in our fight against the pandemic.     

COVID-19疫苗研究现状*

2019年底于中国武汉暴发的新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情来势凶猛,迅速蔓延全球,并被世界卫生组织列为“国际关注的突发公共卫生事件”,给全人类的健康及经济发展造成难以估量的损害。新型冠状病毒对人群普遍易感且传染性强,在无特效药物及治疗手段的情况下,疫苗接种是防控COVID-19疫情最有效且最经济的途径。目前全球疫苗研发正在加速进行,各国之间通力合作,共同应对此次疫情。主要对目前正在研发的针对SARS-CoV-2的灭活疫苗、病毒载体疫苗、基因工程重组亚单位疫苗、核酸疫苗的研究进展进行综述。     

体外核酸快速扩增技术的发展和不断创新

利用聚合酶链式反应(PCR)进行的核酸体外扩增是1983年开始发展起来的一项革命性技术,目前已被广泛运用于现代化的农业和医学以及食品工业等领域,特别是在人类认知基因和基因组的过程中,体外核酸扩增技术做出了卓越的贡献。最初,体外核酸扩增技术主要是利用耐高温的DNA聚合酶(Taq酶),这样就使核酸的体外扩增反应可以在热循环中进行。但因需要使用昂贵的设备和消耗大量的电力,其成本和应用范围都受到一定的限制。之后,恒温体外核酸扩增悄然兴起,这改变了传统扩增技术的局限性,使核酸的体外扩增更加简单和方便。重组酶介导扩增(RAA)法是一种最新型的恒温体外核酸扩增技术,该系统的显著优点在于它在常温下就能实现DNA解链并快速扩增(15~30min完成),反应快速、专一性好、灵敏度高,还可用于定时定量的结果分析。