Automation of the RT-PCR to detect SARS-CoV-2 approved in Mexico by using the BD Max open system

The exponential increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 and the technical difficulties to obtain an RT-PCR result for SARS-CoV-2, according to Berlin protocol, enabled the migration of the manual PCR assay, validated by Instituto de Diagnóstico y Referencia Epidemiológicos (InDRE), to the BD Max system utilizing the use of reagents from BD Max open system. A total of 48 clinical samples were taken from patients who went to the emergency room with COVID clinical features; 46 % (22/48) were positive for SARS-CoV-2. The sensitivity of the automated BD MAX assay was 92% (20/22), compared with the manual PCR. The mean Ct was lower (27,1±5,5) with the automatized method for the RdRp gene, compared with the manual procedure (27,9±6,1), there was no significant difference (p=0.39). The use of the BD MAX open system allows SARS COV detection because it has a high performance and diminishes the time to obtain the results.