Type-I Interferon assessment in 45 minutes using the FilmArray ® PCR platform in SARS-CoV-2 and other viral infections.

Low concentrations of Type-I interferon (IFN) in blood seems to be associated with more severe forms of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, following the type-I interferon response (IR) in early stage disease is a major challenge. We evaluated detection of a molecular interferon signature on a FilmArray® system, which includes PCR assays for four interferon stimulated genes. We analysed 3 types of patient populations: i) children admitted to a pediatric emergency unit for fever and suspected infection, ii) ICU-admitted patients with severe COVID-19 and iii) healthcare workers with mild COVID-19. The results were compared to the reference tools, i.e. molecular signature assessed with Nanostring® and IFN-α2 quantification by SIMOA® (Single MOlecule Array). A strong correlation was observed between the IR measured by the FilmArray®, Nanostring®, and SIMOA® platforms (r-Spearman 0.996 and 0.838, respectively). The FilmArray® panel could be used in the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate the IR in 45-minutes with 2 minutes hand-on-time at hospitalization and to monitor the IR in future clinical trials. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.