TY  - JOUR
AB  - Containment strategies and clinical management of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients during the current pandemic depend on reliable diagnostic PCR assays for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here, we compare 11 different RT-PCR test systems used in seven diagnostic laboratories in Germany in March 2020. While most assays performed well, we identified detection problems in a commonly used assay that may have resulted in false-negative test results during the first weeks of the pandemic.
AU  - Muenchhoff, M.*
AU  - Mairhofer, H.*
AU  - Nitschko, H.*
AU  - Grzimek-Koschewa, N.*
AU  - Hoffmann, D.
AU  - Berger, A.*
AU  - Rabenau, H.*
AU  - Widera, M.*
AU  - Ackermann, N.*
AU  - Konrad, R.*
AU  - Zange, S.*
AU  - Graf, A.*
AU  - Krebs, S.*
AU  - Blum, H.*
AU  - Sing, A.*
AU  - Liebl, B.*
AU  - Wölfel, R.*
AU  - Ciesek, S.*
AU  - Drosten, C.*
AU  - Protzer, U.
AU  - Boehm, S.*
AU  - Keppler, O.T.*
C1  - 59496
C2  - 48881
CY  - Tomtebodavagen 11a, Stockholm, 171 83, Sweden
SP  - 2-6
TI  - Multicentre comparison of quantitative PCR-based assays to detect SARS-CoV-2, Germany, March 2020.
JO  - Euro Surveill.
VL  - 25
IS  - 24
PB  - Eur Centre Dis Prevention & Control
PY  - 2020
SN  - 1025-496X
ER  -