Simple, reliable rapid COVID-19 test developed by reserchers in Oman

Simple, reliable rapid COVID-19 test developed by reserchers in Oman

Muscat: Researchers in Oman have developed a simple and sensitive test for the rapid diagnosis of COVID-19. The research project is conducted by a team led by Dr Haytham Ali from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). It is funded within the COVID-19 Research Programme, one of the research projects funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MoHERI). The test is a ready-to-use, rapid and sensitive colorimetric Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) based assay for the diagnosis of COVID-19 viral infection. The research idea is derived from the fact that a rapid and sensitive COVID-19 test is needed for the prevention and control of the current COVID-19 pandemic spread. "The developed colorimetric assay is highly sensitive and was able to detect as low as 80 viral genome copies with possible improvement through further adjustments," Dr. Haytham Ali, the Principal Investigator of the research project, said. Three primer sets were designed by Dr Timothy Holton from SQU (co-principal investigator) based on the complete genome sequences of forty one SARS-CoV-2 isolates from Oman, targeting the Spike protein gene and the M gene. The primer set (CoV_S23258) was found to be the most sensitive and specific among the three designed sets.