The rapid worldwide spread and impact of COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has created a need for accurate, reliable, and readily accessible testing on a massive scale.

NIEHS researchers developed a massively paralleled multiplexed screening method using next generation sequencing (NGS). This method uses sample-specific barcoded indexes that detect both SARS-COV-2 virus and the host’s transcriptional response to infection simultaneously. By matching existing laboratory protocols for PCR-based sample processing, this assay is easily incorporated into existing CLIA-certified facilities. This testing approach provides the capability for testing tens of thousands of patient samples in a large bolus, allowing accurate and fast-turnaround SARS-CoV-2 testing capacity at population scale, and permits monitoring of at-risk individuals.