Ultrasensitive one-pot detection of monkeypox virus with RPA and CRISPR in a sucrose-aided multiphase aqueous system

The monkeypox virus was declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) and continues to cause infection cases worldwide. Given the risk of virus evolution, it is essential to identify monkeypox virus infection in a timely manner to prevent outbreaks. This study establishes a novel one-pot recombinase polymerase amplification-Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (RPA-CRISPR) assay for monkeypox virus with an ultra-high sensitivity. The assay shows good specificity, accuracy, and the rapidness and convenience important for point-of-care testing. It provides an effective tool for the early diagnosis of monkeypox, which is useful for the prevention of an epidemic.