Diagnostic Tools for Rapid Screening and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has severely impacted human health and the health management system globally. The ongoing pandemic has required the development of more effective diagnostic strategies for restricting deadly disease. For appropriate disease management, accurate and rapid screening and isolation of the affected population is an efficient means of containment and the decimation of the disease. Therefore, considerable efforts are being directed toward the development of rapid and robust diagnostic techniques for respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2. In this article, we have summarized the origin, transmission, and various diagnostic techniques utilized for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These higher-end techniques can also detect the virus copy number in asymptomatic samples. Furthermore, emerging rapid, cost-effective, and point-of-care diagnostic devices capable of large-scale population screening for COVID-19 are discussed. Finally, some breakthrough developments based on spectroscopic diagnosis that could revolutionize the field of rapid diagnosis are discussed.

Keywords: COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2; aptamers; biosensors; immunodiagnostics techniques; nucleic acid hybridization; surface plasmon resonance.

Figure 1

Schematic presentation of the transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) of viral RNA (A) Positive-sense RNA virus; (B) Negative-sense RNA virus. In general, the promoter sequence of the T7 RNA polymerase uses the dsDNA as a template, generates a new RNA sequence, and produces the same DNA copy number.

Figure 2

Nucleic acid hybridization using microarray. Viral cDNA and reference cDNA with different fluorescent labels are mixed and applied to microarray wells coated with specific DNA probes.

Figure 3

Graphic illustration of a lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) for the detection of the COVID-19 virus. Immobilized viral antigens and, if the patient sample contained any, antiviral antibodies pass over it through capillary action, forming a complex that is colorimetrically detected.

Figure 4

Diagrammatic presentation of the detection of COVID-19 virus RNA by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) using a gold nanoparticle-labeled probe (antisense oligonucleotides).

Figure 5

Diagrammatic presentation for the detection of COVID-19 virus RNA by an electrochemical biosensor. The device uses hybridized DNA for capturing reverse-transcribed and PCR-amplified viral cDNA from viral RNA on a gold electrode.

Figure 6

Graphic representation of a colorimetric sensor for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies conjugated with AuNP form a complex with the virus upon incubation with a sample containing SARS-CoV-2 viral particles. UV-vis detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus based on the aggregation of AuNP-conjugated anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies on the SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen’s surface.

Figure 7

Pictorial representation of piezoelectric sensors for SARS-CoV-2 detection. (A) Piezoelectric sensor detecting the SARS-CoV-2 viral antigen. Due to the adsorption of the virus on piezoelectric materials, virus-antibody interaction resultant-on-mass changes lead to sensor bending, which changes the signal. (B) Diagram of voltage against time and (C) amplitude against frequency.