Droplet Digital PCR or Real-Time PCR as a Method for Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Plasma—Is There a Difference?
The aim of this study is to ascertain whether qRT-PCR (reverse transcriptase real-time PCR) or RT-ddPCR (reverse transcriptase digital droplet PCR) is more effective for detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA) in blood plasma from COVID-19 (coronavirus infectio...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/772 |
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| author | Beathe Kiland Granerud Mari Kaarbø Huda Al-Baldawi The Norwegian SARS-CoV-2 Study Group Investigators Kari Otterdal Bente Halvorsen Andreas Lind Simon Rayner Jan Cato Holter Susanne Dudman |
| author_facet | Beathe Kiland Granerud Mari Kaarbø Huda Al-Baldawi The Norwegian SARS-CoV-2 Study Group Investigators Kari Otterdal Bente Halvorsen Andreas Lind Simon Rayner Jan Cato Holter Susanne Dudman |
| author_sort | Beathe Kiland Granerud |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this study is to ascertain whether qRT-PCR (reverse transcriptase real-time PCR) or RT-ddPCR (reverse transcriptase digital droplet PCR) is more effective for detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA) in blood plasma from COVID-19 (coronavirus infectious disease-19) patients. The E-gene of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was quantified using both methods in 128 plasma samples from 70 hospitalized patients, followed by a statistical analysis to compare the sensitivity and concordance between the methods. Out of the 128 samples, 89 yielded consistent results irrespective of the method used, whereas 39 samples showed discrepancies between the two different methods. RT-ddPCR frequently registered higher viral quantities compared to qRT-PCR; however, the results did not demonstrate a clear superiority in sensitivity for RT-ddPCR. Although RT-ddPCR registered higher viral quantities, this study concludes that both methods provide comparable results for detecting SARS-CoV-2 E-gene RNA in plasma. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d2c1f927aacf4698b653aac262cb720e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj-art-d2c1f927aacf4698b653aac262cb720e2025-08-20T03:32:33ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-05-0117677210.3390/v17060772Droplet Digital PCR or Real-Time PCR as a Method for Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Plasma—Is There a Difference?Beathe Kiland Granerud0Mari Kaarbø1Huda Al-Baldawi2The Norwegian SARS-CoV-2 Study Group InvestigatorsKari Otterdal3Bente Halvorsen4Andreas Lind5Simon Rayner6Jan Cato Holter7Susanne Dudman8Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, NorwayInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, NorwayResearch Institute for Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, 0372 Oslo, NorwayInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, NorwayInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, NorwayInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, NorwayInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, NorwayThe aim of this study is to ascertain whether qRT-PCR (reverse transcriptase real-time PCR) or RT-ddPCR (reverse transcriptase digital droplet PCR) is more effective for detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA) in blood plasma from COVID-19 (coronavirus infectious disease-19) patients. The E-gene of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was quantified using both methods in 128 plasma samples from 70 hospitalized patients, followed by a statistical analysis to compare the sensitivity and concordance between the methods. Out of the 128 samples, 89 yielded consistent results irrespective of the method used, whereas 39 samples showed discrepancies between the two different methods. RT-ddPCR frequently registered higher viral quantities compared to qRT-PCR; however, the results did not demonstrate a clear superiority in sensitivity for RT-ddPCR. Although RT-ddPCR registered higher viral quantities, this study concludes that both methods provide comparable results for detecting SARS-CoV-2 E-gene RNA in plasma.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/772SARS-CoV-2RNAemiaqRT-PCRRT-ddPCRplasmaCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Beathe Kiland Granerud Mari Kaarbø Huda Al-Baldawi The Norwegian SARS-CoV-2 Study Group Investigators Kari Otterdal Bente Halvorsen Andreas Lind Simon Rayner Jan Cato Holter Susanne Dudman Droplet Digital PCR or Real-Time PCR as a Method for Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Plasma—Is There a Difference? Viruses SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia qRT-PCR RT-ddPCR plasma COVID-19 |
| title | Droplet Digital PCR or Real-Time PCR as a Method for Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Plasma—Is There a Difference? |
| title_full | Droplet Digital PCR or Real-Time PCR as a Method for Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Plasma—Is There a Difference? |
| title_fullStr | Droplet Digital PCR or Real-Time PCR as a Method for Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Plasma—Is There a Difference? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Droplet Digital PCR or Real-Time PCR as a Method for Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Plasma—Is There a Difference? |
| title_short | Droplet Digital PCR or Real-Time PCR as a Method for Quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Plasma—Is There a Difference? |
| title_sort | droplet digital pcr or real time pcr as a method for quantifying sars cov 2 rna in plasma is there a difference |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia qRT-PCR RT-ddPCR plasma COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/772 |
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