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Amplicon residues in research laboratories masquerade as COVID-19 in surveillance tests
Dan Davidi1, Susan Fitzgerald2, Hannah L Glaspell3
1Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Cell Reports Methods
|July 8, 2021
Abstract:
Asymptomatic surveillance testing together with COVID-19-related research can lead to positive SARS-CoV-2 tests resulting not from true infections, but non-infectious, non-hazardous by-products of research (amplicons). Amplicons can be widespread and persistent in lab environments and can be difficult to distinguish for true infections. We discuss prevention and mitigation strategies.
