Analysis of the laboratory detection methods and clinical characteristics in 2019-nCoV Omicron variants

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the laboratory detection methods and clinical characteristics of patients with 2019-nCoV Omicron variant infection, to realize the rapid identification and diagnosis of 2019-nCoV Omicron variants. Methods Totally 80 overseas patients in First Hospital of Changsha from December 16 in 2021 to January 5 in 2022 were selected, the nucleic acids and mutant genes were detected by fluorescent PCR and genome sequencing, and the clinical characteristics of patients with 2019-nCoV Omicron variant infection were analyzed. Results The specificity was 100% (58/58) and positive predictive value was 100% (21/21) respectively, the sensitivity was 95.5% (21/22), negative predictive value was 98.3% (58/59) by detected with fluorescent PCR. It was found that there were 45-50 nucleotide displacement sites in the genome and 25-30 amino acid mutation sites in S gene fragment by genome sequencing. Clinical analysis showed that mild cases were 59.1% (13/22) in layouts, without severe and critical cases. Ages were positively associated with the clinical classification (ρ =0.698, P<0.001), foundation infections were positively associated with the clinical classification (ρ =0.636, P<0.001). Conclusions Patients with 2019-nCoV Omicron variant infection had a high viral load and long negative conversion time of nucleic acid. Ages and foundation infections were positively associated with the clinical classification. AST/ALT was higher in the early stage of the disease. Fluorescent PCR method can be used in rapid screening patients with 2019-nCoV Omicron variant infection. © 2022 Chinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co.Ltd. All rights reserved.