Epidemiological description and analysis of RdRp, E and N genes dynamic by RT-PCR of SARS-CoV-2 in Moroccan population: Experience of the National Reference Laboratory (LNR)-UM6SS

  1. Houda Benrahma
  2. Diawara Idrissa
  3. Smyej Imane
  4. Rahoui Jalila
  5. Meskaouni Nida
  6. Benmessaoud Rachid
  7. Arouro Khadija
  8. Jaras Khadija
  9. Moujid Fatima Zahra
  10. Adam Zahra
  11. Nahir Salma
  12. Aouzal Zineb
  13. Elguezzar Hajar
  14. Jeddane Leila
  15. Ousti Fadoua
  16. EL Bakkouri Jalila
  17. Nejjari Chakib

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Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a new infectious disease that first emerged in Hubei province, China, in December 2019. On 2 March 2020, the Moroccan Ministry of Health confirmed the first COVID-19 case in Morocco. The new virus SARS-CoV-2 was identified in the sample of a Moroccan expatriate residing in Italy. Without a therapeutic vaccine or specific antiviral drugs, early detection and isolation become essential against novel Coronavirus.

This study aims to analyze the epidemiological profile of the SARS-CoV-2 in Moroccan cases and to investigate the dynamic of RdRp, N , and E genes in patients from diagnosis until the recovery.

Among 859 COVID-19 RT-PCR tests realized for 376 patients, 187 cases had positive results COVID-19. 4% were positive with the 3 genes RdRp, N , and E , 40 % with N and E genes, 3% with RdRp and N genes, 31% with only the RdRp gene and 22% cases are positives with N gene. The analysis of the Covid-19 genes ( RdRp, N , and E ) dynamic reveal that more than 6% stay positive with detection of the N and E gene, and 14% with the N gene after 12 days of treatment.

The median period from positive to the first negative Covid-19 RT-PCR tests was 6.8±2.24 days for 44% cases, 14.31± 2.4 days for 30%, and 22.67 ± 1.21 days for 4%.

This a first description of the Moroccan COVID-19 cases and the analysis of the dynamic of the RdRp, N , and E genes. The analysis of our population can help to improve in the care of patients.

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  1. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.06.18.20135137: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board Statementnot detected.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variableThe mean age was 46.82 ± 20.54 years old, comprising 55.76 % men and 44.24% women (table 2).

    Table 2: Resources

    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    The RT-PCR assays were performed on the CFX96 Touch Real-Time PCR Detection System (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.).
    Bio-Rad Laboratories
    suggested: (Bio-Rad Laboratories, RRID:SCR_008426)
    All statistical analyses were performed using STATA software, version 11.0. 3. Results: 3.1.
    STATA
    suggested: (Stata, RRID:SCR_012763)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  2. Version published to 10.1101/2020.06.18.20135137v1 on medRxiv