The brand new technique, because the identify suggests, will get rid of the necessity to retailer swab samples in a viral transport medium (VTM); as an alternative, the samples could be readied in a dry kind for the RT-PCR take a look at.
The Indian Council of Medical Analysis (ICMR) has accepted using a swab assortment technique for RT-PCR assessments that’s mentioned to be cheaper and extra handy.
The dry swab technique, developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Analysis-Centre for Mobile and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) below the Ministry of Science and Expertise, was accepted by ICMR in a November 26 advisory. The brand new technique, because the identify suggests, will get rid of the necessity to retailer swab samples in a viral transport medium (VTM); as an alternative, the samples could be readied in a dry kind for the RT-PCR take a look at. CSIR-CCMB Director Dr Rakesh Mishra instructed The Indian Express that the strategy will save time and cut back prices when in comparison with a normal RT-PCR take a look at that makes use of VTM and RNA extraction.
In accordance with the ICMR advisory, contemplating its decrease value and fast turn-around time, the dry swab variant can be utilized as a screening software in settings the place automated RNA extraction is unavailable.
Dr Mishra mentioned the brand new technique is safer and dealing with time of the pattern is also much less. Swabs are collected in the identical manner and the identical RT-PCR machine is used. “At instances the liquid can leak and tubes could be messy additionally making it hazardous to deal with. The brand new approach eliminates this and is safer to deal with,” he mentioned.
A scientist defined that the strategy includes addition of a chemical and enzyme buffer to dry nasal swabs, their incubation for half-hour at room temperature, after which warmth inactivation at 98 levels Celsius for six minutes.
