Ultrarapid diagnosis, microscope imaging, genome sequencing, and culture isolation of SARS-CoV-2

Excerpt

Current technological level made possible the quick identification and culture of the SARS-CoV-2, an emerging coronavirus that caused until March 3, 2020, 90,870 confirmed cases of infections, with outside China a still limited spread (10,556 cases) and low mortality (166 deaths) (https://​www.​who.​int/​docs/​default-source/​coronaviruse/​situation-reports/​20200303-sitrep-43-covid-19.​pdf?​sfvrsn=​2c21c09c_​2). However, it is necessary to quickly diagnose this virus in order to manage people’s fears and SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals and to quickly sequence its genome to possibly detect mutations. It is also crucial to quickly cultivate the viral strain, which will allow to test its sensitivity to a large panel of molecules with potential antiviral activity, including those that are known to interfere with the replication process of RNA viruses and, among others, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine [1‐3], and teicoplanin [4‐7], as well as other molecules that were not yet evaluated but that may be efficient on RNA viruses, such as azithromycin [8]. The Hospital University Institute (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, Southeastern France, was built in order to be able to coordinate all possible efforts at the level of health care but also of diagnosis (https://​www.​mediterranee-infection.​com/​). As proof of concept, we report the first case of SARS-CoV-2 we diagnosed at our institution. …