@article{dd1d5461ea424a429752728ba640b198,
title = "A real-time PCR for SARS-coronavirus incorporating target gene pre-amplification",
abstract = "An enhanced polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to detect the coronavirus associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) was developed in which a target gene pre-amplification step preceded TaqMan real-time fluorescent PCR. Clinical samples were collected from 120 patients diagnosed as suspected or probable SARS cases and analyzed by conventional PCR followed by agarose gel electrophoresis, conventional TaqMan real-time PCR, and our enhanced TaqMan real-time PCR assays. An amplicon of the size expected from SARS-CoV was obtained from 28/120 samples using the enhanced real-time PCR method. Conventional PCR and real-time PCR alone identified fewer SARS-CoV positive cases. Results were confirmed by viral culture in 3/28 cases. The limit of detection of the enhanced real-time PCR method was 102-fold higher than the standard real-time PCR assay and 107-fold higher than conventional PCR methods. The increased sensitivity of the assay may help control the spread of the disease during future SARS outbreaks.",
keywords = "Coronavirus, PCR, SARS, SARS-CoV, Severe acute respiratory syndrome, TaqMan real-time fluorescent polymerase chain reaction",
author = "Lau, {Lok Ting} and Fung, {Yin Wan Wendy} and Wong, {Freda Pui Fan} and Lin, {Selma Sau Wah} and Wang, {Chen Ran} and Li, {Hui Li} and Natalie Dillon and Collins, {Richard A.} and Tam, {John Siu Lun} and Chan, {Paul K.S.} and Wang, {Chen G.} and Yu, {Albert Cheung Hoi}",
note = "Funding Information: The authors thank the Philip K.H. Wong Foundation, Kennedy Y.H. Wong, Pun-Hoi Yu, and the New Century Forum Foundation for financial support, Sino-i.com Ltd., Dr. Cecilia W.B. Pang (Biotechnology Director, Information Technology and Broadcasting Branch, Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau, Hong Kong SAR), and Fung-Kwok Ma (New Century Forum) for facilitating this study. Chen G. Wang is the PI of the National Emergency Action on SARS Research (Beijing Group) supported by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. We acknowledge Professor K.-Y. Yuen (Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong) for providing clinical samples at the beginning of this study (data from these samples are not included in this report). We owe many thanks to Professor Po Tian (Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology) for his valuable suggestions and discussion. Publisher copyright: {\textcopyright} 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.",
year = "2003",
month = dec,
day = "26",
doi = "10.1016/j.bbrc.2003.11.064",
language = "English",
volume = "312",
pages = "1290--1296",
journal = "Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications",
issn = "0006-291X",
publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",
number = "4",
}