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Practical Guidelines for Collection, Manipulation and Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Clinical Specimens.
William Bain1, Janet S Lee1, Alan M Watson2
1Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Current Protocols in Cytometry
|June 6, 2020
Summary
This guide provides essential protocols for safely collecting, handling, and inactivating SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) to enable research in standard laboratories.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
- Laboratory Safety
Background:
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a global health crisis.
- No specific prophylactics or therapies are currently available to control SARS-CoV-2 spread or mitigate disease.
- Working with infectious SARS-CoV-2 necessitates high-containment Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) facilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide practical guidelines for the safe collection and handling of specimens from patients with COVID-19.
- To outline effective methods for inactivating SARS-CoV-2.
- To enable broader access to SARS-CoV-2 research by facilitating safe handling at reduced biosafety levels.
Main Methods:
- Detailed procedures for the collection and initial handling of patient specimens suspected of containing SARS-CoV-2.
- Methods for inactivating the virus in collected samples.
- Recommendations for adapting laboratory workflows for safe research.
Main Results:
- Established protocols for safe specimen collection and handling.
- Validated inactivation methods for SARS-CoV-2.
- Guidelines enabling research with inactivated virus at lower biosafety levels.
Conclusions:
- Safe inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for expanding research accessibility.
- These guidelines empower institutions to safely handle and study SARS-CoV-2.
- Facilitating research is key to developing future diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
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