Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea have developed a new method that can detect coronavirus in just 30 minutes. The method is as accurate as the current PCR diagnostic test, the scientists claimed. Based on the RNA sequence of the virus, the “quick and easy” test method: SENSR technology will reduce “stress at a single test site and avoid contact with infected patients as much as possible,” according to the reports.
This diagnostic kit can be developed in a week, according to research published in the journal The Biomedical Engineering of Nature.
The test can produce a nucleic acid binding reaction to show fluorescence only when COVID-19 RNA is present. The virus can be detected immediately without any preparation process with high sensitivity in a short time, the study showed. RNA is a nucleic acid that mediates genetic information or participates in the control of gene expression.
Using the new technology, the researchers found the RNA of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cause of COVID-19, from a real patient sample in about 30 minutes. Additionally, five pathogenic viruses and bacterial RNAs were detected that demonstrated the kit’s usability to detect pathogens other than COVID-19, according to the researchers.
The PCR molecular test currently used for the diagnosis of COVID-19 has very high precision but involves a complex preparation process to extract or refine the virus, the researchers noted. The test is not suitable for use in small farming or fishing villages, airports or self-service screening clinics, as it requires expensive equipment and qualified experts, the scientists said.
The method not only allows for on-site diagnosis before going to the screening clinic or being hospitalized, but also enables a more proactive response to COVID-19 by complementing the current centralized diagnostic system.
“This method is a quick and simple diagnostic technology that can accurately analyze RNA without having to treat a patient sample,” said POSTECH Professor Jeong Wook Lee.
(With contributions from agencies)
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