title: Sensitive and quantitative detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection by real-time nested polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: A quantitative, real-time, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, combining the high sensitivity of nested PCR with time-saving real-time instrumentation, was developed for large-scale screening for severe acute coronavirus (SARS) coronavirus. Forty-six clinical specimens were analyzed by this method, and results were compared with those obtained by conventional, single-round, real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) performed in parallel. Of the 17 positive results, 2 identified by our method were not detected by single-round, real-time RT-PCR, which suggests that real-time nested PCR has the potential for increased sensitivity, leading to earlier detection of SARS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih Sheng
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Tsan-Chi
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jyh-Yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chao A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hsiung
authors.forename: Ih-Jen
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Ying-Lan
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Po-Cheng
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jyh-Lyh
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Juang
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral