Dr Agnieszka Mikucka and Dr Tomasz Bogiel from the Department of Microbiology of the Pharmaceutical Faculty of the Collegium Medicum of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and the Department of Clinical Microbiology of the University Hospital No. 1 in Bydgoszcz joined a team that introduced tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 virus directly in the clinical material in just 3 hours.

The work was carried out with the use of BD MAX (Becton Dickinson) based on the PCR method with reverse transcription and real-time detection (Real-Time RT – PCR) and tests with IVD certification.

BD MAX is a fully integrated, automated platform that performs nucleic acid extraction and PCR, enabling the simultaneous assessment of the occurrence of coronavirus genetic material in 24 clinical samples, obtaining a final result in about 3 hours. Its use minimizes staff contact with potentially infectious clinical material.