Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33993637›Full record

ArticleMicrobial biotechnology2021

SARS-CoV-2 RNA screening in routine pathology specimens.

Saskia von Stillfried, Sophia Villwock, Roman D Bülow, Sonja Djudjaj, Eva M Buhl, Angela Maurer, Nadina Ortiz-Brüchle, Peter Celec, Barbara M Klinkhammer, Dickson W L Wong and 5 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Microbial biotechnology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Saskia von StillfriedInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5260-8494
Sophia VillwockInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.
Roman D BülowInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8527-7353
Sonja DjudjajInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2352-7537
Eva M BuhlInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0627-9228
Angela MaurerInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.
Nadina Ortiz-BrüchleInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.
Peter CelecInstitute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.ORCID 0000-0001-5883-3580
Barbara M KlinkhammerInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-1566-7129
Dickson W L WongInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-4798-2908
Claudio CacchiInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.
Till BraunschweigInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9166-2912
Ruth Knüchel-ClarkeInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-4987-701X
Edgar DahlInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8439-7994
Peter BoorInstitute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9921-4284
Universitätsklinikum Aachen · DEBiomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences · SK

Funding

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung 01KX2021Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung STOP-FSGS-01GM1901ABundesministerium für Gesundheit ZMVI1-2520COR201Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft BO3755/13-1 - Project-ID 454024652Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft BO3755/9-1 - Project-ID 432698239Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SFB/TRR219 - Project-ID 322900939Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SFB/TRR57- Project ID 36842431RWTH Aachen University START 125/17
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Virus detection methods are important to cope with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemics. Apart from the lung, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in multiple organs in severe cases. Less is known on organ tropism in patients developing mild or no symptoms, and some of such patients might be missed in symptom-indicated swab testing. Here, we tested and validated several approaches and selected the most reliable RT-PCR protocol for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in patients' routine diagnostic formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens available in pathology, to assess (i) organ tropism in samples from COVID-19-positive patients, (ii) unrecognized cases in selected tissues from negative or not-tested patients during a pandemic peak, and (iii) retrospectively, pre-pandemic lung samples. We identified SARS-CoV-2 RNA in seven samples from confirmed COVID-19 patients, in two gastric biopsies, one small bowel and one colon resection, one lung biopsy, one pleural resection and one pleural effusion specimen, while all other specimens were negative. In the pandemic peak cohort, we identified one previously unrecognized COVID-19 case in tonsillectomy samples. All pre-pandemic lung samples were negative. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in FFPE pathology specimens can potentially improve surveillance of COVID-19, allow retrospective studies, and advance our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 organ tropism and effects.

Indexed as

COVID-19SARS-CoV-2Diagnostic Tests, RoutineHumansPandemicsRetrospective StudiesRNA, ViralRNA, Viral

Identifiers

PMID33993637
PMCPMC8209898
OpenAlexW3162783724

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.