COVID-19: In search of the virus
12 June 2020
Let’s continue our search for the virus with the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory’s team at the Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont: Caroline, Guylaine, Audrey, Ann-Louise, Zinnedine, Luana, Manon, Fatima, Kartleen, Karl and Marie-Christine. Discover also the “covithèque”.
In the molecular diagnostic laboratory, Caroline Therien prepares the mixture including primers for the detection of the virus. Particular attention must be paid to each manipulation to ensure that everything is perfect: the quality of the analyses on the samples will greatly depend on this crucial step.
The continuous upgrading of the virus detection protocol is a sizeable undertaking. We must constantly deal with reagent shortages, swab variations, changes in specimen transport media, and the use of different equipment. Guylaine Lépine, a scientific development specialist, performs tests to ensure the accuracy and quality of the procedures in place.
Audrey Leblanc selects the samples that will need additional analyses to clarify the result.
To perform a very large daily volume of screening tests, several machines have been installed in the laboratories, some of which are on loan from the Research Centre.
Two QuantStudio machines (ThermoFisher Scientific) are used to carry out polymerase chain reactions (PCR). During the day, hundreds of samples can be analyzed simultaneously using this equipment. The sheets represent the lists of specimens undergoing or awaiting analysis. Things have to run smoothly to meet the titanic daily demand.
To preserve the positive samples in the “Covithèque” (COVID bank), a colossal amount of work is done: Zinnedine Chaabna, Ann-Louise Savard and Luana Belinsky work as a team to identify the positive samples and sort them. Only samples with negative results are discarded.
Manon Saint-Hilaire puts positive samples in the freezer at -80oC. Researchers from the Research Centre lent us freezing space because the laboratory freezer was overflowing!
At the real-time PCR results analysis station, Marie-Christine Meunier ensures that the reaction worked well and that the results are of high quality. Positive and negative controls as well as a quality control of each sample are included in all analytical plates to control amplification. These are carefully examined under a magnifying glass to ensure compliance before results are released.
Entering queries requires a great deal of concentration. Kartleen Marcellus, Fatima Ami and Johanne Séguin carry out meticulous and essential work to ensure that the results are forwarded to the prescriber and the Public Health Directorate, along with the necessary follow-up information. At certain times of the day, eight people may be working on this task at the same time.
Karl Saint-Laurent organizes the work list using the SoftLab Laboratory Information System (MediSolution).
