SARS-CoV-2 Test Pooling Studies Offer Insights for Implementing, Optimizing Approaches

In separate studies published this week in Science Translational Medicine, two independent research teams have presented approaches for optimizing pooled molecular SARS-CoV-2 testing.

One study, conducted by a team led by researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, looked at that institution’s experience using pooling to run more than 133,000 samples between April and September 2020. The other, led by researchers at the Broad Institute and Harvard University, presented methods for optimizing pooled testing by accounting for patient viral load and the trajectory of the outbreak within the population being tested.

Both studies found that pooling could significantly improve testing efficiency while maintaining sufficient sensitivity.

Source: https://www.genomeweb.com/clinical-lab-management/sars-cov-2-test-pooling-studies-offer-insights-implementing-optimizing