Review
Current diagnostic approaches to detect two important betacoronaviruses: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prp.2021.153565Get rights and content

Abstract

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are two common betacoronaviruses, which are still causing transmission among the human population worldwide. The major difference between the two coronaviruses is that MERS-CoV is now causing sporadic transmission worldwide, whereas SARS-CoV-2 is causing a pandemic outbreak globally. Currently, different guidelines and reports have highlighted several diagnostic methods and approaches which could be used to screen and confirm MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections. These methods include clinical evaluation, laboratory diagnosis (nucleic acid-based test, protein-based test, or viral culture), and radiological diagnosis. With the presence of these different diagnostic approaches, it could cause a dilemma to the clinicians and diagnostic laboratories in selecting the best diagnostic strategies to confirm MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections. Therefore, this review aims to provide an up-to-date comparison of the advantages and limitations of different diagnostic approaches in detecting MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections. This review could provide insights for clinicians and scientists in detecting MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections to help combat the transmission of these coronaviruses.

Abbreviations

acpcPNA
pyrrolidinyl peptide nucleic acid
ALI
Acute lung injury
ASO
Antisense oligonucleotides
BSL
Biosafety level
CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CoV
Coronavirus
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease of 2019
CRISPR
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats
CT
Computed tomography
CXR
Chest radiography
ddNTPs
dideoxynucleotide triphosphates
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid
dPCR
Digital polymerase chain reaction
EIA
Enzyme immunoassay
ELISA
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
EUA
Emergency use authorization
FDA
Food and Drug Administration
FIPV
Feline infectious peritonitis virus
Hel
Helicase
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus
ICU
Intensive care unit
IFA
Immunofluorescence assay
LAMP
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification
LOD
Limit of detection
LOQ
Limit of quantification
MALDI-TOF
MassARRAY matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight
MERS
Middle East respiratory syndrome
MN
Microneutralisation
MS
Mass spectrometry
NP
Nucleocapsid protein
NSP
Non-structural proteins
ORF
Open reading frame
RAD
Rapid antigen test
PCR
Polymerase chain reaction
PFU
Plaque forming units
POCT
Point of care testing
ppNT
Pseudoparticle neutralization test
PRNT
Plaque reduction neutralization test
qPCR
Quantitative or real-time polymerase chain reaction
qRT-PCR
Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
RBD
Receptor binding domain
RdRp
RNA-dependent RNA polymerase
RFLP
Restriction fragment length polymorphism
RNA
Ribonucleic acid
RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus
RT-iiPCR
Reverse transcription-insulated isothermal polymerase chain reaction
RT-RPA
Reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification
SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
SNP
Single nucleotide polymorphism
TCID
Tissue culture infectious dose
TRPMSS2
Type II transmembrane serine protease
upE
Regions upstream of gene E
VOC
Variants of concern
VOHC
Variant of high consequence
VOI
Variant of interest
VUM
Variant under monitoring
WGS
Whole-genome sequencing
WHO
World Health Organization
OSN-qRT-PCR
One-step single-tube nested (OSN)-qRT-PCR
5’-UTR
5’-untranslated region

Keywords

MERS-CoV
SARS-CoV-2
Clinical
Laboratory
Radiological
Diagnosis

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