In many places, infrastructure and testing facilities limit coronavirus testing, and tests are therefore only carried out in severe cases. This gives an unclear picture of the reproduction rate, but a new type of test from DTU is set to change that.
One of the decisive factors in managing the spread of COVID-19 is widespread testing in the population. A quick test which can be carried out locally and without extensive facilities could therefore be a game changer.
To address the disadvantages of the current standard tests, DTU—together with Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, and Hvidovre Hospital, as well as the Danish company PentaBase—will develop PlasmonDetect, a new molecular diagnostic technology for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2.
“Plasmonic Strand-Displacement Amplification (PSDA) assay is a colorimetric method based on a unique combination of molecular structures and gold nanoparticles. The technology leverages the latest knowledge in molecular biology and nanotechnology and is able to detect viral RNA with high specificity, efficiency, and speed at room temperature,” says Yi Sun, Groupleader, Associate Professor at DTU Health Tech.
This means that as early as at the end of the year, using PlasmonDetect, it will be possible to test for COVID-19 in a much simpler and faster way close to the patient
“We believe that instrument-free technology will be a valuable tool for testing patients who are admitted to our hospitals and patients who need to have procedures where there is a high risk of infection spreading. This will support our ability to isolate patients who are tested positive and avoid isolation of a larger group of patients who are tested negative,” says Deputy Director in charge of research Kirsten Wisborg, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital.
Far less cost
"We believe that instrument-free technology will be a valuable tool for testing patients who are admitted to our hospitals."
Kirsten Wisborg
The PSDA assay is practical and cost-effective, as it is instrument-free and does not require the use of expensive enzymes and fluorescent labelling. The analysis can be delivered at GP surgeries, emergency departments, acute care clinics, and other resource-constrained settings. The researchers expect that the new method will save time and resources for transport and analysis, reduce pressure on the central laboratories, and allow more people to be tested. Such a rapid diagnostic technique would significantly increase the effectiveness of society’s pandemic response.
The PlasmonDetect project is supported by EIT Health.
The current standard method recommended by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization is called quantitative reverse transcription polymer chain reaction (qRT-PCR). However, this type of test requires well-equipped laboratory facilities, highly qualified technologies, and multiple reagents. Due to infrastructure constraints and supply shortages, demand for test capacity is growing rapidly in both the EU and around the world.
As the number of people infected continues to rise, most countries are forced to stop testing mild cases and instead concentrate on vulnerable patients, healthcare workers, and patients requiring hospitalization. In many cases, the strategy results in delayed diagnosis and treatment, and provides limited information on the number of those infected. This will have a negative impact on each country’s strategies and initiatives