Polymerase Chain Reaction News and Research

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Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a revolutionary laboratory technique that enables the replication of a specific DNA sequence. Using PCR, millions of copies of a target DNA can be easily synthesized within a short period of time.

A promising method to diagnose sepsis with high accuracy

Whether activating or silencing genes, breaking down defective cells or building new tissue, our body is constantly working to repair itself, even in cases of illness.

21 Apr 2020

A new biosensor to quickly and reliably detect novel coronavirus

Jing Wang and his team at Empa and ETH Zurich usually work on measuring, analyzing and reducing airborne pollutants such as aerosols and artificially produced nanoparticles.

21 Apr 2020

New biosensor rapidly detects SARS-CoV-2 from nasopharyngeal swabs

According to many experts, early diagnosis and management are critical for slowing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

20 Apr 2020

Antibody detection for COVID-19 - promise and risks

Recently, several research groups emphasized how the pervasive screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies may prove pivotal in determining infection seroprevalence in a given population defining previous exposure, screening health care workers, but also identifying highly reactive individuals that may act as donors for the therapeutic use of their convalescent serum.

20 Apr 2020

CRISPR technology mobilized for rapid COVID-19 diagnosis

A group of authors from the United States published a study in the scientific journal Nature Biotechnology in which they have described a CRISPR-Cas-based approach for rapid and accurate diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection – without the need for complex laboratory infrastructure.

20 Apr 2020

Scientists estimate fatality ratio across full spectrum of COVID-19 disease

A team of researchers from Imperial College London has conducted a study aimed at calculating a reasonably accurate case fatality ratio and infection fatality ratio, which is based on Chinese data as well as international reports. The research is published on the pre-print server MedRxiv.

19 Apr 2020

Six novel coronaviruses found in bats

While the world grapples with the pandemic, which has spread to 185 countries and territories, infecting more than 2.15 million people and killing more than 143,000 people, a team of researchers at the Smithsonian's Global Health Program has found six novel coronaviruses in bats in Myanmar.

16 Apr 2020

Research shows speed of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Boston homeless shelter

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is straining healthcare resources across the globe, prompting countries to impose social distancing measures to reduce the transmission of the virus. The problem is, the virus can spread even if the infected person has no symptoms, making contact tracing and isolation measures more difficult. Now, a new study reveals the rapidity of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 transmission that occurred in a Boston homeless shelter.

16 Apr 2020

Screening blood samples for COVID-19 using artificial intelligence

A promising new study published in the preprint online journal medRxiv in April 2020 shows the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for developing a patient classifier that can separate patients likely to be negative for COVID-19 from among a pool of suspected patients visiting an emergency room (ER).

15 Apr 2020

Anosmia (loss of smell) confirmed as a clinical feature of COVID-19

Earlier last month, the association of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists in the UK issued a public statement advising patients with a sudden loss of smell or taste to get tested for COVID-19. They cited not only their own observations but those from numerous other ENT consultants the world around. A review of multiple papers on the sinus and nasal symptoms and signs related to the diagnosis of COVID-19, published in April 2020, in the journal Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology, reiterates this finding.

15 Apr 2020

Researchers develop a faster, more accurate COVID-19 test

Millions of people have been tested for the novel coronavirus, most using a kit that relies on the polymerase chain reaction.

15 Apr 2020

Mayo Clinic highlights the impact of false-negative COVID-19 test results

As COVID-19 testing becomes more widely available, it's vital that health care providers and public health officials understand its limits and the impact false results can have on efforts to curb the pandemic.

9 Apr 2020

Spanish study shows infections in children occur early in COVID-19 epidemics

With the spread of COVID-19, scientists are finding out more about the disease. One major aspect that is being studied is how the virus affects children. A new report from Spain, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics in April 2020, shows that pediatric populations are infected early in the epidemic and that about 10% of those with symptoms suggestive of infection test positive. Severe infection can also occur among children, requiring hospitalization and intensive care.

8 Apr 2020

Scientists in the UK look to measure COVID-19 in the wider community

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is actively spreading throughout the globe, affecting 184 countries and territories. In the United Kingdom, the country has seen the highest daily numbers of recorded coronavirus deaths – 854 on Monday and 786 on Tuesday, prompting scientists to race toward determining how vast the virus is spreading in the UK.

8 Apr 2020

New Fleischner Society statement on chest imaging and management of COVID-19 published

A multinational consensus statement from the Fleischner Society on the role of chest imaging in the management of patients with COVID-19 was jointly published today in the journals Radiology and Chest.

7 Apr 2020

UC San Diego Health expands COVID-19 testing capacity

From the beginning, the ability of front line clinicians to test patients for COVID-19 -- to determine whether a person is infected with the disease-causing novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 -- has been part and parcel of the pandemic.

6 Apr 2020

GlobalData: Rapid POC tests to accelerate testing capacity for diagnosing COVID-19

There is a current worldwide lack of testing capacity for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The frontline response for diagnosing COVID-19 has been polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

3 Apr 2020

Tulane University adds second avenue for COVID-19 testing

Tulane University has added a second avenue for COVID-19 testing, this one taking place at a Tulane School of Medicine repurposed research lab where results can be processed within a day.

2 Apr 2020

Is coronavirus spread through feces?

A startling study from China, published in the journal Gastroenterology in March 2020, reports that the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 can spread via feces as well as the more familiar respiratory droplet route or from virus-contaminated surfaces.

2 Apr 2020

Thermo Fisher announces availability of AcroMetrix Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) RNA Control

Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, today announced the availability of the Thermo Scientific AcroMetrix Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) RNA Control, its latest quality control product to monitor and validate COVID-19 molecular diagnostic tests.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 1 Apr 2020