Effective high-throughput RT-qPCR screening for SARS-CoV-2 infections in children

Felix Dewald, Isabelle Suárez, Ronja Johnen, Jan Grossbach, Roberto Moran-Tovar, Gertrud Steger, Alexander Joachim, Gibran Horemheb Rubio, Mira Fries, Florian Behr, Joao Kley, Andreas Lingnau, Alina Kretschmer, Carina Gude, Guadelupe Baeza-Flores, David Laveaga Valle, Alberto Roblero-Hernandez, Jesus Magana-Cerino, Adriana Torres Hernandez, Jesus Ruiz-Quinones, Konstantin Schega, Viktoria Linne, Lena Junker, Marie Wunsch, Eva Heger, Elena Knops, Veronica Cristanziano, Meike Meyer, Christoph Hünseler, Lutz T. Weber, Jan-Christoffer Lüers, Gustav Quade, Hilmar Wisplinghoff, Carsten Tiemann, Rainer Zotz, Hassan Jomaa, Arthur Pranada, Ileana Herzum, Paul Cullen, Franz-Josef Schmitz, Paul Philipsen, Georg Kirchner, Cornelius Knabbe, Martin Hellmich, Michael Buess, Anna Wolff, Annelene Kossow, Johannes Niessen, Sebastian Jeworutzki, Jörg-Peter Schräpler, Michael Lässig, Jörg Dötsch, Gerd Fätkenheuer, Rolf Kaiser, Andreas Beyer, Jan Rybniker and Florian Klein ()
Additional contact information
Felix Dewald: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Isabelle Suárez: University of Cologne
Ronja Johnen: University of Cologne
Jan Grossbach: University of Cologne
Roberto Moran-Tovar: University of Cologne
Gertrud Steger: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Alexander Joachim: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Gibran Horemheb Rubio: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Mira Fries: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Florian Behr: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Joao Kley: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Andreas Lingnau: Ministry of Schools and Education of North Rhine-Westphalia
Alina Kretschmer: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Carina Gude: University of Cologne
Guadelupe Baeza-Flores: Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad, Dr. Juan Graham Casasús
David Laveaga Valle: Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad, Dr. Juan Graham Casasús
Alberto Roblero-Hernandez: Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad, Dr. Juan Graham Casasús
Jesus Magana-Cerino: Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad, Dr. Juan Graham Casasús
Adriana Torres Hernandez: Bioclilab SA de CV
Jesus Ruiz-Quinones: Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad, Dr. Juan Graham Casasús
Konstantin Schega: Health department of Cologne
Viktoria Linne: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Lena Junker: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Marie Wunsch: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Eva Heger: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Elena Knops: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Veronica Cristanziano: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Meike Meyer: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Christoph Hünseler: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Lutz T. Weber: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Jan-Christoffer Lüers: University of Cologne
Gustav Quade: MVZ Labor Dr. Quade & Kollegen GmbH
Hilmar Wisplinghoff: Labor Dr. Wisplinghoff
Carsten Tiemann: Labor Krone
Rainer Zotz: Institute for Laboratory Medicine ZotzKlimas
Hassan Jomaa: Synlab
Arthur Pranada: Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum Dr. Eberhard & Partner
Ileana Herzum: Medizinische Laboratorien Düsseldorf
Paul Cullen: MVZ Labor Münster
Franz-Josef Schmitz: Mühlenkreiskliniken
Paul Philipsen: Labor Mönchengladbach MVZ Dr. Stein und Kollegen
Georg Kirchner: Eurofins Laborbetriebsgesellschaft Gelsenkirchen GmbH & Eurofins MVZ Medizinisches Labor Gelsenkirchen GmbH
Cornelius Knabbe: Ruhr-University Bochum, Institute for Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine
Martin Hellmich: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Michael Buess: Health department of Cologne
Anna Wolff: Health department of Cologne
Annelene Kossow: Health department of Cologne
Johannes Niessen: Health department of Cologne
Sebastian Jeworutzki: Ruhr-University Bochum
Michael Lässig: University of Cologne
Jörg Dötsch: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Gerd Fätkenheuer: University of Cologne
Rolf Kaiser: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne
Andreas Beyer: University of Cologne
Jan Rybniker: University of Cologne
Florian Klein: University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Systematic SARS-CoV-2 testing is a valuable tool for infection control and surveillance. However, broad application of high sensitive RT-qPCR testing in children is often hampered due to unpleasant sample collection, limited RT-qPCR capacities and high costs. Here, we developed a high-throughput approach (‘Lolli-Method’) for SARS-CoV-2 detection in children, combining non-invasive sample collection with an RT-qPCR-pool testing strategy. SARS-CoV-2 infections were diagnosed with sensitivities of 100% and 93.9% when viral loads were >106 copies/ml and >103 copies/ml in corresponding Naso-/Oropharyngeal-swabs, respectively. For effective application of the Lolli-Method in schools and daycare facilities, SEIR-modeling indicated a preferred frequency of two tests per week. The developed test strategy was implemented in 3,700 schools and 698 daycare facilities in Germany, screening over 800,000 individuals twice per week. In a period of 3 months, 6,364 pool-RT-qPCRs tested positive (0.64%), ranging from 0.05% to 2.61% per week. Notably, infections correlated with local SARS-CoV-2 incidences and with a school social deprivation index. Moreover, in comparison with the alpha variant, statistical modeling revealed a 36.8% increase for multiple (≥2 children) infections per class following infections with the delta variant. We conclude that the Lolli-Method is a powerful tool for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance and can support infection control in schools and daycare facilities.

Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30664-2

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