While agreeing with our findings, the researchers have suggested that the RT-PCR kit cut-offs should be adjusted by adding four cycles to the CT cut-off recommended by the manufacturer wherever pooled sample testing is being undertaken. This suggestion is based on the experiments conducted by the researchers in their laboratory. We have not conducted any such experiments and therefore, we are not in a position to comment on this suggestion.
. 2021 May-Jun;153(5-6):563. doi: 10.4103/0971-5916.318161
Authors’ response
Ira Praharaj
1, Amita Jain
3, Mini Singh
4, Anukumar Balakrishnan
5, Rahul Dhodapkar
6, Biswajyoti Borkakoty
7, Munivenkatappa Ashok
8, Pradeep Das
9, Debasis Biswas
10, Usha Kalawat
11, Jyotirmayee Turuk
12, AP Sugunan
5, Shantanu Prakash
3, Anirudh K Singh
10, Rajamani Barathidasan
6, Subhra Subhadra
12, Jyotsnamayee Sabat
12, MJ Manjunath
8, Poonam Kanta
4, Nagaraja Mudhigeti
11, Rahul Hazarika
7, Hricha Mishra
3, Kumar Abhishek
9, C Santhalembi
5, Manas Ranjan Dikhit
9, Neetu Vijay
2, Jitendra Narayan
2, Harmanmeet Kaur
2, Sidhartha Giri
1, Nivedita Gupta
1,*
Ira Praharaj
1Divsion of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
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Amita Jain
3Department of Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Mini Singh
4Department of Virology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
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Anukumar Balakrishnan
5ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Kerala Unit, Alappuzha, Kerala, India
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Rahul Dhodapkar
6Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Puducherry, India
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Biswajyoti Borkakoty
7Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh, Assam, India
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Munivenkatappa Ashok
8ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Bangalore Unit, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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Pradeep Das
9ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
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Debasis Biswas
10Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
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Usha Kalawat
11Department of Microbiology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
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Jyotirmayee Turuk
12ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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AP Sugunan
5ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Kerala Unit, Alappuzha, Kerala, India
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Shantanu Prakash
3Department of Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Anirudh K Singh
10Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
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Rajamani Barathidasan
6Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Puducherry, India
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Subhra Subhadra
12ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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Jyotsnamayee Sabat
12ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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MJ Manjunath
8ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Bangalore Unit, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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Poonam Kanta
4Department of Virology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
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Nagaraja Mudhigeti
11Department of Microbiology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
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Rahul Hazarika
7Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh, Assam, India
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Hricha Mishra
3Department of Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Kumar Abhishek
9ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
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C Santhalembi
5ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Kerala Unit, Alappuzha, Kerala, India
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Manas Ranjan Dikhit
9ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
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Neetu Vijay
2Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi, India
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Jitendra Narayan
2Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi, India
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Harmanmeet Kaur
2Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi, India
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Sidhartha Giri
1Divsion of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
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Nivedita Gupta
1Divsion of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
Find articles by Nivedita Gupta
1Divsion of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
2Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi, India
3Department of Microbiology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
4Department of Virology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
5ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Kerala Unit, Alappuzha, Kerala, India
6Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Puducherry, India
7Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh, Assam, India
8ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Bangalore Unit, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
9ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India
10Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
11Department of Microbiology, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
12ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
*
For correspondence: guptanivedita.hq@icmr.gov.in
Copyright: © 2021 Indian Journal of Medical Research
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See the letter "Interpretation of pooled sample testing of COVID-19 for efficient use of resources" on page 562.