Table 1. To test the analytical specificity of Norgen’s COVID-19 TaqMan RT-PCR Kit (E/RdRP genes), the E/RdRP/RP Positive Control was used to test the kits specificity against RNA purified from other related pathogens. RdRP reactions were only prepared for samples required for confirmation and discriminatory detection based on the first gene detection result. Amplification was measured by real time RT-PCR.  As can be seen, only Norgen’s E/RdRP/RP Positive Control showed amplification for all genes. COVID-19 WA showed amplification of the E gene and the two RdRP gene targets. SARS-CoV showed amplification only with E gene and RdRP Discriminatory. None of the remaining pathogens showed amplification with any of the tested genes.

Figure 2. Clinical testing of the COVID-19 TaqMan RT-PCR Kit (E/RdRP gene)(Cat. TM67200) was conducted with contrived oropharyngeal swabs (circle) and nasopharyngeal swabs (cross).  Swab samples were collected from healthy donors and placed into preservative using Norgen’s Total Nucleic Acid Preservation Tubes (Cat. 69200).  To prepare the contrived positive samples, the preserved swab samples were spiked with 100,000 copies of positive control. Total viral RNA was then isolated using Norgen’s Total RNA Purification Kit (Cat. 17200).  Following RNA isolation, one-step RT-PCR for detection of the four targets was performed using Norgen’s COVID-19 TaqMan RT-PCR Kit (E/RdRP gene) (TM67200).