WHotLAMP: A simple, inexpensive, and sensitive molecular test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 16; no. 9; p. e0257464
• Main Authors: Ng, David, Pinharanda, Ana, Vogt, Merly C, Litwin-Kumar, Ashok, Stearns, Kyle, Thopte, Urvashi, Cannavo, Enrico, Enikolopov, Armen, Fiederling, Felix, Kosmidis, Stylianos, Noro, Barbara, Rodrigues-Vaz, Ines, Shayya, Hani, Andolfatto, Peter, Peterka, Darcy S, Tabachnik, Tanya, D'Armiento, Jeanine, Goldklang, Monica, Bendesky, Andres
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 16.09.2021; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Anesthesiology; Biology and Life Sciences; Contact tracing; Coronaviruses; COVID-19 - diagnosis; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - virology; COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing - instrumentation; COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing - methods; COVID-19 vaccines; Disease transmission; Engineering and Technology; Epidemics - prevention & control; Epidemiology; Evaluation; Humans; Lung diseases; Medicine and Health Sciences; Point-of-Care Systems - statistics & numerical data; Reproducibility of Results; Research and analysis methods; RNA, Viral - genetics; RNA, Viral - isolation & purification; Saliva; Saliva - virology; Salivary diagnostics; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; SARS-CoV-2 - physiology; Sensitivity analysis; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Vaccines; Viral diseases; Viruses; United States; New York; United States > US
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257464

Despite the development of effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, epidemiological control of the virus is still challenging due to slow vaccine rollouts, incomplete vaccine protection to current and emerging variants, and unwillingness to get vaccinated. Therefore, frequent testing of individuals to identify early SARS-CoV-2 infections, contact-tracing and isolation strategies remain crucial to mitigate viral spread. Here, we describe WHotLAMP, a rapid molecular test to detect SARS-CoV-2 in saliva. WHotLAMP is simple to use, highly sensitive (~4 viral particles per microliter of saliva) and specific, as well as inexpensive, making it ideal for frequent screening. Moreover, WHotLAMP does not require toxic chemicals or specialized equipment and thus can be performed in point-of-care settings, and may also be adapted for resource-limited environments or home use. While applied here to SARS-CoV-2, WHotLAMP can be modified to detect other pathogens, making it adaptable for other diagnostic assays, including for use in future outbreaks.