AffiPCR® MERS SARS CoV Real Time PCR

Target Disease Type: Respiratory Infections

Specific Application: Coronavirus

Storage and Shipping : 4 weeks

MERS-SARS CoV RT-PCR (CE) V65-50FRT DataSheet

INTRODUCTION

Coronaviruses are a large family of ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses capable of infecting humans and a number of animal species. In humans, coronaviruses may cause a range of illnesses, from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) .

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV. Early reports compared the virus to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and it has been referred to as Saudi Arabia's SARS-like virus. Most people who have been confirmed to have MERS-CoV infection developed severe acute respiratory illness. As of 31 October 2013, the World Health Organization confirmed that 149 people have contracted MERS worldwide, of which 63 have died. Affected countries in the Middle East include Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Kuwait and Qatar; in Europe countries affected include: France, Germany, the United Kingdom (UK) and Italy; and in North Africa: Tunisia. Infections presumably acquired through exposure to non-human sources have all occurred in the Middle East; limited transmission in the countries of Europe and North Africa has occurred in close contacts of recent travellers from the Middle East.

INTENDED USE

MERS-SARS CoV Real-TM is Real-Time PCR test for the qualitative detection and differentiation of Middle East Respiratory Sindrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Sindrome Coronaviruses (SARS)

PRINCIPLE OF ASSAY

MERS-SARS CoV Real-TM Test is based on three major processes: isolation of virus RNA from specimens, reverse transcription of the RNA, Real Time amplification of the cDNA. Coronavirus detection by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is based on the amplification of pathogen genome specific region using specific primers and detection via fluorescent dyes.

These dyes are linked with probes of oligonucleotides which bind specifically to the amplified product. The real-time PCR monitoring of fluorescence intensities allows the accumulating product detection without reopening of reaction tubes after the PCR run. MERS-SARS CoV Real-TM PCR kit is a qualitative test which contain the Internal Control (IC) . It must be used in the isolation procedure in order to control the process of each individual sample extraction and serves also to identify possible reaction inhibition.