Building UI VDL COVID-19 test capacity: evaluating sample pooling for SARS-CoV-2 testing in animals

项目摘要 SARS-CoV-2可以感染人和动物。人口检测是遏制人口增长的重要步骤之一 新冠肺炎在人类中流行，这也将是动物物种的正确策略。SARS-CoV-2 美国动物的阳性率被低估了，部分原因是动物测试需要国家 官方批准。必须扩大检测能力，以便能够对动物进行大规模监测 在需要的时候。事实证明，样品池是一种有用的策略，可以提高检测能力和 减轻检测负担。在这项提案中，我们要求提供资金，以建设加州大学的测试能力 伊利诺伊州兽医诊断实验室(UI VDL)评估样本池以扩大测试范围 节省了检测资源。为了确定池对测试灵敏度的影响，我们将 在UI VDL中评估用于SARS-CoV-2聚合酶链式反应检测的两种不同池大小。阳性样本 将与阴性样本一起单独进行评估。同样的一套正面和负面的 样本将随机混合，用于模拟临床联合测试。经过验证的池化策略 可用于不同动物物种的SARS-CoV-2监测。因此，经过验证的池 程序将使UI VDL为应对动物SARS-CoV-2疫情调查做好准备。 拟议的研究将扩大Vet-LIRN实验室的能力，以快速应对 新冠肺炎在动物中暴发，这将对人类和兽医产生巨大影响 健康。

Project Abstract SARS-CoV-2 can infect both human and animals. Population testing is one of important steps to contain Covid-19 pandemic in humans, which will be also a right strategy in animal species. SARS-CoV-2 positive rates in animals in the US are under-estimated partially because animal testing needs state official approval. Testing capabilities must be expanded to enable a large-scale surveillance in animals when needed. Sample pooling has been proved a useful strategy to increase testing capacity and reduce testing burden. In this proposal, we request funding to build testing capacity at the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UI VDL) to evaluate sample pooling to scale up testing for SARS-CoV-2 and save testing resources. To determine the effect of pooling on test sensitivity, we will evaluate two different pooling sizes for SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing in the UI VDL. The positive samples will be evaluated individually and together with negative samples. The same set of positive and negative samples will be randomly pooled for simulation of clinical pooling testing. The validated pooling strategy can be used for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in different animal species. Therefore, the validated pooling procedure will make UI VDL ready for responding to SARS-CoV-2 outbreak investigation in animals. The proposed study will scale up the capabilities of the Vet-LIRN laboratories to respond quickly to Covid-19 outbreaks in animals, which will have tremendous impacts for both human and veterinary health.