TABLE 5.
Comparison of the qPCR and ddPCR approaches for SARS-CoV-2 detection
| Criterium | qPCR | ddPCR |
|---|---|---|
| Platform tested | QuantStudio Flex 6 384 platform (Applied Biosystems, Inc., USA) | QX200 Droplet Digital PCR System (Bio-Rad Laboratories, USA) |
| Samples / run | 184 | 94 |
| Run time | 1.5 hours (1 step) | 1 day (3 steps) |
| Quantification type | Relative to standards | Absolute |
| Quantification range | 3 to 1,000,000 copies/reaction | 5 to 15,000 copies/reaction |
| Equipment cost | £37,000 | £110,000 |
| Reagent cost/90 samples | £445 | £520 to 600 |
| Sample vol/reaction | 4 μL | 10 μL |
| Amplicon sequencing | Yes | No |