Sample pooling strategies for SARS-CoV-2 detection

Highlights • The COVID-19 pandemic emerges the need of rapid and accurate diagnostic testing. • Testing on pooled samples maximizes the number of tested samples in a short time. • Testing on pooled samples minimizes the time and the consumables needed. • Hybrid methods (“in house” methods and sample pooling) might allow rapid screening. • The prevalence of the virus justifies the use of the pooling protocol.
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic outburst has caused a serious public health issue with increasing needs of accurate and rapid diagnostic and screening testing. This situation requires an optimized management of the chemical reagents, the consumables, and the human resources, in order to respond accurately and effectively, controlling the spread of the disease. Testing on pooled samples maximizes the number of tested samples, by minimizing the time and the lab supplies needed. The general conceptualization of the pooling method is based on mixing samples together in a batch. Individual testing is needed only if a specific pool exhibits a positive result. The development of alternative hybrid methods, based on “in house” protocols, utilizing commercially available consumables, in combination with a reliable pooling method would provide a solution, focusing on the better exploitation of the personnel and the lab supplies, allowing for rapid screening of a population in a reasonably short time.