COVID-19 outbreak in Europe: Issues on PCR diagnostics for SARS-nCoV2 in unprepared landscape and immediate field implementations of practical measures
At MMCI was designed 3D printer drawing of nasopharyngeal (sampling swabs) and printed the plastic base of the sampling stick on 3D printer from PETG material. After sterilization with ethanol-based disinfection, sampling stick were furnished with polyester wadding and subjected to sterilization at 75°C for 30 min. The newly invented swab stick is flexible enabling mucus collection from the nasal cavity without hurting patients.
Having this option in place we overcome the imminent lack of commercially available supplies we are now facing.
There was an inactivation medium based on a strong chaotropic agent 4 M guanidium thiocyanate for protein denaturation, citrate for ion chelation and subsequent RNase inactivation, sarcosyl detergents and finally 2-mercaptoethanol in a concentration above 20 mM for degradation of mucus and virucidal action for coronavirus at MMCI invented recently as well.
Applicability of both innovations, home-made sampling swabs and denaturation/inactivation media, and their suitability for SARS-nCov2 detection in biological specimen has been tested and verified.
