Crispr Gene Based Test To Diagnose Covid -19 In An Hour New Era In Diagnostics

By Author: priyanka kumari
Total Articles: 10
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With the COVID-19 pandemic growing globally, new ways of detecting the infection is the need of the hour. The test, called the SARS-CoV2 DETECTR assay, checks for the presence of two specific regions in the novel corona virus – one is found in all ‘SARS-like’ corona viruses and one is unique to SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. This helps to differentiate COVID-19 infections from similar infections caused by other corona viruses.

The assay is currently being validated in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified microbiology laboratory as per guidelines from the FDA.

As one of the first tests to use CRISPR gene-targeting to detect the novel corona virus, this technology offers several benefits over current qRT-PCR testing. PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a specialized, expensive technique that can only be performed in well-equipped labs. The DETECTR assay, on the other hand, can be performed in any lab with off-the-shelf reagents and common equipment, making it a more cost-effective and widely available solution.

Another key advantage of the DETECTR assay is the