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.

SARS-CoV-2 variant spread study in France shows B.1.351/V2 variant outgrowing B.1.1.7/V1 variant

A recent study by researchers in France has compared the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern. The team found a significant transmission advantage of V2 (from lineage B.1.351) over V1 (from lineage B.1.1.7). A pre-print version of the research paper is available on the medRxiv* server.

20 May 2021

Tokyo sees rapid rise of SARS-CoV-2 R.1 lineage

A new research paper posted to the preprint server medRxiv* reports the rise of a new lineage in Tokyo, Japan, bearing a combination of two biologically important mutations.

20 May 2021

Early treatment may prevent clotting in COVID-19 vaccine-related thrombocytopenia

Now, a new report in the Journal of Thrombosis and Hemostasis reveals that timely diagnosis and treatment of this condition may prevent further morbidity and mortality, and enable the vaccine to be used widely with confidence.

20 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca reduce mortality among the elderly

Researchers in the UK have demonstrated the efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines against severe acute respiratory virus coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at preventing death among older individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

20 May 2021

Latest round of REACT-1 finds SARS-CoV-2 prevalence has halved since previous round

Researchers in the UK say the latest round of the REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-1 (REACT-1) study has found that the prevalence of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – has fallen by 50%, compared with the previous round conducted in March of this year (2021).

19 May 2021

New imaging technique helps reveal the best antibodies for COVID-19 detection

Vaccines are turning the tide of the pandemic, but the risk of infection is still present in some situations. If you want to visit a friend, get on a plane, or go see a movie, there is no highly accurate, instant test that can tell you right then and there whether or not you have a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

18 May 2021

A possible human-to-canine transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Now, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified a case of human to animal transmission when SARS-CoV-2 was detected in a healthy poodle dog living with four family members who had COVID-19.

18 May 2021

Nanotechnology and COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment

The development of nano-biosensors and nanoparticle-based vaccines and medicines has opened a new path toward better management of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In a recently published article in the journal ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, scientists have reviewed recent advancements in nanotechnology-based diagnostic and therapeutic interventions against human coronaviruses.

17 May 2021

New way to detect a diverse range of bacteria that cause diarrheal disease in informal settlements

Monash University researchers have validated a way to successfully detect a diverse range of bacteria (pathogens) that cause diarrheal disease in informal settlements.

17 May 2021

Supercarriers: Just 2% of SARS-CoV-2 positive people carry 90% of the virus

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that the vast majority of the viral load in a community at any given point is present in a very small minority of the infected population, underlining the vast differences in viral loads between individuals.

14 May 2021

Inexpensive test for rapid detection of COVID-19 with 90% accuracy

A low-cost, rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19 developed by Penn Medicine provides COVID-19 results within four minutes with 90 percent accuracy.

12 May 2021

Case study examines prescriptions and healthcare use in non-hospitalized COVID-19 recoverers

In a new study published in The Lancet, a team of researchers examined prescription drug and healthcare use after SARS-CoV-2 infection in those who did not require hospital admission.

12 May 2021

Case study describes consequences of undetected SARS-CoV-2 infection during mRNA vaccination

Now, a new report describes a case of a coincidental mRNA vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection in a 31-year-old doctor, addressing the theoretical considerations for potential risks and further required actions in case more cases appear in the future.

11 May 2021

Researchers show SARS-CoV-2 genes can be integrated into the human genome

Researchers in the United States have shown that genes from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – can be integrated into the genome of infected human cells.

10 May 2021

New nanoimmunoassay can detect anti–SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in ultralow-volume blood samples

In a recent study, researchers developed and validated a nanoimmunoassay (NIA) that analyzes 1,024 samples in parallel on a single microfluidic device the size of a USB stick. They detected anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, achieving a sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 100% based on an analysis of 134 pre-pandemic sera (collected in 2013/2014 and 2018) and 155 sera from reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive individuals.

10 May 2021

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Germany

Seroprevalence studies have proved their worth in estimating the size and directionality of an outbreak of infectious disease, especially the current pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-induced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A new study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server describes the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in five representative regions of Germany.

10 May 2021

Total COVID-19 deaths could be 7 million

A new analysis from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which independently researches health at the University of Washington School of Medicine, shows that the total global toll due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could be more than twice the officially reported number of deaths, at almost 7 million.

10 May 2021

Immunosuppression in COVID-19 promotes emergence of multiple immune escape mutants

An interesting new study describes the emergence of several such variants from a chronically immunosuppressed COVID-19 patient, who remained infected for over 170 days before clearing the virus.

7 May 2021

Are infants at greater risk of COVID-19 than children?

The widely circulating SARS-CoV-2 has caused the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of this infection varies significantly with age, sparing young children for the most part, though not completely. However, a new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, shows that infants are not as resistant to the virus as children are. The researchers trace this to the expression of ACE2 to varying extents in different groups.

7 May 2021

Israeli study shows real-world efficacy of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine

Researchers have conducted an analysis of nationwide surveillance data from Israel demonstrating the real-world effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech’s BNT162b2 vaccine at protecting against infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

6 May 2021

Polymerase Chain Reaction News and Research

Further Reading

SARS-CoV-2 variant spread study in France shows B.1.351/V2 variant outgrowing B.1.1.7/V1 variant

Tokyo sees rapid rise of SARS-CoV-2 R.1 lineage

Early treatment may prevent clotting in COVID-19 vaccine-related thrombocytopenia

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca reduce mortality among the elderly

Latest round of REACT-1 finds SARS-CoV-2 prevalence has halved since previous round

New imaging technique helps reveal the best antibodies for COVID-19 detection

A possible human-to-canine transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Nanotechnology and COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment

New way to detect a diverse range of bacteria that cause diarrheal disease in informal settlements

Supercarriers: Just 2% of SARS-CoV-2 positive people carry 90% of the virus

Inexpensive test for rapid detection of COVID-19 with 90% accuracy

Case study examines prescriptions and healthcare use in non-hospitalized COVID-19 recoverers

Case study describes consequences of undetected SARS-CoV-2 infection during mRNA vaccination

Researchers show SARS-CoV-2 genes can be integrated into the human genome

New nanoimmunoassay can detect anti–SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in ultralow-volume blood samples

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Germany

Total COVID-19 deaths could be 7 million

Immunosuppression in COVID-19 promotes emergence of multiple immune escape mutants

Are infants at greater risk of COVID-19 than children?

Israeli study shows real-world efficacy of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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