Next Article in Journal
Viral Infections in Special Populations: Key Findings and Perspectives from Special Issue
Previous Article in Journal
Progress in Pseudotyping Lentiviral Vectors Towards Cell-Specific Gene Delivery In Vivo
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Viruses
Volume 17
Issue 6
10.3390/v17060804
viruses-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Brief Report

Facilitating Cross-border Viral Sequencing Through Nucleic Acid Sample Transport Using Dry Cards

by
Lili Wang
1,2,†,
Qikai Yin
1,†,
Alie Brima Tia
3,
Fengyu Tian
1,
Liping Gao
1,
Kai Nie
1,
Kang Xiao
1,
Xuejun Ma
1,
Xiaoping Dong
1,
Doris Harding
4,
Xiaozhou He
1,* and
George F. Gao
1,5,*
1
National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China
2
Center for Global Public Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China
3
Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown P.O. Box 232, Sierra Leone
4
Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown P.O. Box 232, Sierra Leone
5
CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100045, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Viruses 2025, 17(6), 804; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17060804
Submission received: 1 May 2025 / Revised: 29 May 2025 / Accepted: 30 May 2025 / Published: 31 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Coronaviruses)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

(1) Background: A safe and effective nucleic acid sample transportation method was developed that is suitable for underdeveloped areas which lack advanced sequencing capabilities, specifically for virus genomic sequencing and infectious disease monitoring. (2) Methods: This study evaluated the use of Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards for transporting amplified whole-genome DNA from 120 SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal swab samples in Sierra Leone. Nucleic acid extraction and whole-genome amplification were conducted at a local laboratory. Amplified products were applied to FTA Elute cards for room temperature shipment to China CDC for elution and sequencing. (3) Results: The FTA card method achieved a 9.6% recovery rate for amplicons, sufficient for viral genome sequencing. In total, 86 (71.7%) high-quality SRAS-CoV-2 genomic sequences were obtained, with the majority reaching depths exceeding 100X. Sequence analysis revealed co-circulation of Delta, Omicron, and B.1 lineages. Higher Ct values in the original sample significantly reduced coverage and depth, with Ct ≤ 27; 73.6% of samples yielded effective sequences. (4) Conclusions: Transportation of amplified nucleic acid samples using FTA cards enables virus genomic sequencing in resource-limited areas. This approach can potentially improve local virus surveillance and outbreak response capabilities. Further optimizations could improve sequence recovery rate. Implementing this method could significantly enhance sequencing accessibility in underdeveloped regions.
Keywords: viral sequencing; dry cards; sample transport; stability viral sequencing; dry cards; sample transport; stability

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, L.; Yin, Q.; Tia, A.B.; Tian, F.; Gao, L.; Nie, K.; Xiao, K.; Ma, X.; Dong, X.; Harding, D.; et al. Facilitating Cross-border Viral Sequencing Through Nucleic Acid Sample Transport Using Dry Cards. Viruses 2025, 17, 804. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17060804

AMA Style

Wang L, Yin Q, Tia AB, Tian F, Gao L, Nie K, Xiao K, Ma X, Dong X, Harding D, et al. Facilitating Cross-border Viral Sequencing Through Nucleic Acid Sample Transport Using Dry Cards. Viruses. 2025; 17(6):804. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17060804

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Lili, Qikai Yin, Alie Brima Tia, Fengyu Tian, Liping Gao, Kai Nie, Kang Xiao, Xuejun Ma, Xiaoping Dong, Doris Harding, and et al. 2025. "Facilitating Cross-border Viral Sequencing Through Nucleic Acid Sample Transport Using Dry Cards" Viruses 17, no. 6: 804. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17060804

APA Style

Wang, L., Yin, Q., Tia, A. B., Tian, F., Gao, L., Nie, K., Xiao, K., Ma, X., Dong, X., Harding, D., He, X., & Gao, G. F. (2025). Facilitating Cross-border Viral Sequencing Through Nucleic Acid Sample Transport Using Dry Cards. Viruses, 17(6), 804. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17060804

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop