University of Oxford engineers have responded to the urgent need for rapid assays designed to detect the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) with the development of a testing platform requiring only 30 minutes to generate results.

The sensitive system does not need complex equipment as it hones in on viral RNA and RNA fragments. A A simple color change signals the presence of the virus. Source: University of Oxfordsimple heat-block maintains a constant temperature for RNA reverse transcription and DNA amplification, and the results can be read by the naked eye. A simple color change signals the presence of the virus, enabling results to be interpreted by the naked eye. Each test consumes three vials containing different primers, and a positive test turns two vials yellow and leaves one pink in a setup that acts as a negative control to confirm the assay is working.

The test was validated by application to real clinical samples at a hospital in China, which used the kits on 8 positive and 8 negative samples. The results were confirmed by conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction methods.

An integrated device is now under development to enable testing at home or in clinics and airports.

See Developments in diagnostics for COVID-19 for other recent relevant advances.