A Colorimetric Test to Differentiate Patients Infected with Influenza from COVID-19.

Area of Science:

• Molecular biology
• Virology
• Diagnostic technology

Background:

• Distinguishing between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A is critical for effective patient treatment due to differing therapeutic strategies.
• Similar clinical presentations of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza necessitate reliable diagnostic methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel color-based molecular assay for differentiating SARS-CoV-2 from influenza A.
• To provide a simple, minimal-equipment diagnostic tool for rapid clinical decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Development of a nucleic acid enzyme-gold nanoparticle (GNP) assay utilizing MNAzyme and GNP probes targeting conserved viral genomic regions.
• Design of probes robust to viral mutations for reliable detection.
• Testing the assay's performance on 79 patient samples to differentiate SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A.

Main Results:

• The assay demonstrated high clinical sensitivity and specificity for both viruses.
• For SARS-CoV-2 detection: 90% sensitivity and 100% specificity.
• For influenza A detection: 93% sensitivity and 100% specificity.

Conclusions:

• The MNAzyme-GNP assay exhibits high clinical performance, enabling accurate differentiation between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A.
• This diagnostic tool can assist clinicians in choosing appropriate and timely treatments for patients with respiratory infections.