Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App





New High-Throughput Testing Approach for COVID-19 Combines Digital PCR Technology with Group Testing

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 09 Jun 2020
A new high-throughput and cost-effective testing approach for COVID-19 combines digital PCR technology with the group testing method to significantly reduce costs and increase testing capacity, while offering a diagnostic sensitivity greater than the current standard of individual RT-PCR tests.

Stilla Technologies (Paris, France) which is offering the new COVID-19 testing approach has also published the largest comparative study to date for group testing of SARS-CoV-2. Given the increasing demand for SARS-CoV-2 real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing and the scarcity of reagents among testing facilities worldwide, group testing or sample pooling has been proposed as a solution to expand testing capabilities. Moreover, with 99 tests out of 100 expected to yield negative results, group tests are optimal in such a configuration of low positivity rate.

In a group test, the samples of 8, 16 or 32 individuals are combined into a pooled sample. This pooled sample is then tested. If the test is negative, it means that all the individuals in the group are negative. If it is positive, it means that at least one individual is a carrier of SARS-CoV-2. It is then necessary to test every sample separately again to identify the carrier (s). With a test positivity rate of 1%, only one in 10 groups will be positive. The test savings are therefore substantial, around 80%. Additionally, this group testing approach multiplies the number of individuals tested for a given amount of reagents by a factor of five.

However, a risk associated with group tests is their sensitivity, which is deemed to be lower for large groups (n> 4). This reduction in sensitivity means that there is an increased risk of not detecting certain carriers of the virus with pooled tests compared to individual tests. Stilla Technologies' Crystal digital PCR technology in association with the group testing method addresses the main problem of sensitivity. The first ever study to evaluate group tests combined with digital PCR by Stilla Technologies systematically compared group tests of SARS-CoV-2 to individual reference tests. Out of 448 samples tested, 26 and 25 tested positive by digital PCR group test, for group sizes of 8 and 16 samples. This compared to 25 tested positive with individual reference tests in RT-PCR.

Thus, the study demonstrates a similar sensitivity to better for group tests by digital PCR, as compared to individual tests by RT-PCR. The new approach of group testing by digital PCR appears to have a diagnostic sensitivity "similar to better" compared to current tests in individual RT-PCR. However, this method makes it possible to reduce the amount of reagent required by up to 80% while reducing costs as well and increasing the capacity of testing by digital PCR up to 10 times.

“We continue our efforts in the fight against COVID-19 and are proud today to present an innovative approach that greatly increases the testing capacity and meets the highest quality standards. This digital PCR-based group testing method has a diagnostic sensitivity superior or equal to the current standard - that is individual RT-PCR testing-for group sizes up to 16 samples. The main benefit of this method is that it reduces the amount of reagent required to test a population by about 80% while reducing costs by as much and increasing test capacities by up to 10 times,” said Rémi Dangla, co-founder and CEO of Stilla Technologies.

Related Links:
Stilla Technologies


Gold Member
SARS-CoV-2 Reactive & Non-Reactive Controls
Qnostics SARS-CoV-2 Typing
Verification Panels for Assay Development & QC
Seroconversion Panels
New
Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Virus Test
Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Virus Detection Kit
New
Multi-Function Pipetting Platform
apricot PP5
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get complete access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: Researcher Kanta Horie places a sample in a mass spectrometer that measures protein levels in blood plasma and other fluids (Photo courtesy of WashU Medicine)

Highly Accurate Blood Test Diagnoses Alzheimer’s and Measures Dementia Progression

Several blood tests are currently available to assist doctors in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease in individuals experiencing cognitive symptoms. However, these tests do not provide insights into the clinical... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The findings were based on patients from the ADAURA clinical trial of the targeted therapy osimertinib for patients with NSCLC with EGFR-activated mutations (Photo courtesy of YSM Multimedia Team)

Post-Treatment Blood Test Could Inform Future Cancer Therapy Decisions

In the ongoing advancement of personalized medicine, a new study has provided evidence supporting the use of a tool that detects cancer-derived molecules in the blood of lung cancer patients years after... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: Schematic representation illustrating the key findings of the study (Photo courtesy of UNIST)

Breakthrough Diagnostic Technology Identifies Bacterial Infections with Almost 100% Accuracy within Three Hours

Rapid and precise identification of pathogenic microbes in patient samples is essential for the effective treatment of acute infectious diseases, such as sepsis. The fluorescence in situ hybridization... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.