title: A one step quantitative RT-PCR for detection of SARS coronavirus with an internal control for PCR inhibitors.
abstract: In this study, we report a one step quantitative RT-PCR assay for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) diagnosis. The overall detection rate for clinical samples collected from Days 1 to 9 of disease onset is 86.2% and the specificity of the assay is 100%. To detect false negative results due to PCR inhibitors or faulty RNA extraction, we have further modified this one step RT-PCR assay for simultaneous detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV) and 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) as an internal positive control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, PR China. llmpoon@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Leo L M
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: Bonnie W Y
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Kwok Hung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Cynthia S W
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Kwok Yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Joseph S M
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Peiris
mesh_terms: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012015:Reference Standards; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase 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: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012367:RNA, Viral