AUTHOR=Huang Pei , Wang Hualei , Cao Zengguo , Jin Hongli , Chi Hang , Zhao Jincun , Yu Beibei , Yan Feihu , Hu Xingxing , Wu Fangfang , Jiao Cuicui , Hou Pengfei , Xu Shengnan , Zhao Yongkun , Feng Na , Wang Jianzhong , Sun Weiyang , Wang Tiecheng , Gao Yuwei , Yang Songtao , Xia Xianzhu TITLE=A Rapid and Specific Assay for the Detection of MERS-CoV JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology VOLUME=9 YEAR=2018 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01101 DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2018.01101 ISSN=1664-302X ABSTRACT=

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a novel human coronavirus that can cause human respiratory disease. The development of a detection method for this virus that can lead to rapid and accurate diagnosis would be significant. In this study, we established a nucleic acid visualization technique that combines the reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification technique and a vertical flow visualization strip (RT-LAMP-VF) to detect the N gene of MERS-CoV. The RT-LAMP-VF assay was performed in a constant temperature water bath for 30 min, and the result was visible by the naked eye within 5 min. The RT-LAMP-VF assay was capable of detecting 2 × 101 copies/μl of synthesized RNA transcript and 1 × 101 copies/μl of MERS-CoV RNA. The method exhibits no cross-reactivities with multiple CoVs including SARS-related (SARSr)-CoV, HKU4, HKU1, OC43 and 229E, and thus exhibits high specificity. Compared to the real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the RT-LAMP-VF assay is easy to handle, does not require expensive equipment and can rapidly complete detection within 35 min.