Low-cost COVID-19 diagnostic method approved by ICMR
While people are getting used to the new normal, COVID-19 cases are still popping up all over the country. It is indeed a serious matter that needs to be tackled from all sides. Rapid diagnosis and treatment is one way to do so.
RT-PCR is among the most advanced methods of diagnosis. But this needs a lot of procedural precautions during the sample transport and processing, making it inconvenient and skill-demanding. The researchers at the CCMB (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology) found a way to solve this by a dry-swab RT-PCR technique that has now been approved by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research).
This low-cost COVID-19 diagnostic method is easier and faster as it cuts down a few steps from the standard RT-PCR. Nasal swab samples for RT-PCR are transported using a VTM (Viral Transport Medium) to maintain virus stability. The dry-swab method avoids this by using sealed tubes to transport the collected sample in a dry state.
Major advantages
CCMB director, Dr.Rakesh K.Mishra, spoke about the advantages of the new method. The viral RNA in the dry samples remain stable at 40C storage for up to 3 days. It can
even survive 24 hours of room temperature storage.The new low-cost COVID-19 diagnostic method foregoes the RNA extraction step, which is a part of the standard RT-PCR. This, including the heating step to separate the RNA and the VTM requirement, are steps that can be skipped for the rapid dry-swab diagnosis. This reduces the cost and makes it a convenient method for rapid mass-testing
The Ministry of Science and Technology’s press release contained Dr.Mishra’s words about this merit. Although automated, the RT-PCR takes 4 hours for approximately 500 samples, with the RNA extraction and viral media adding considerably to both money and time during large-scale testing. Therefore the rapid, low-cost COVID-19 diagnostic method is highly beneficial and may reduce money and time by 40-50%.
The efficiency of the dry-swab RT-PCR method
The researchers from CCMB and the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research who worked on this remarkable method are Uday Kiran, Dhiviya Vedagiri, Rakesh K Mishra, C. G. Gokulan, Karthik Bharadwaj Tallapaka, Santosh Kumar Kuncha, and Krishnan Harinivas Harshan.
The team tested the low-cost COVID-19 diagnostic method’s efficiency by determining the Ct (Cycle threshold) values that indicate how many RT-PCR cycles are necessary for RNA detection. These values were found to be comparable between both methods of RT-PCR.
The occurrence of false negatives is unavoidable and is present at 2-29% in the gold standard RT-PCR method. Dr.Mishra spoke about false-negatives being inherent to a test and majorly occurring with the viral sample’s lesser titers. He confirmed that comparable Ct values signified that the modified RT-PCR method had efficiency matching the currently used method.
We must indeed acknowledge the scientists and pharmacists working towards bettering our pandemic situation with practicality and innovation.
Author : Deepthi Prakash
