Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test is a gold standard diagnostic tool to assess and confirm the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 RNA globally. But it comes with limitations like the need for specific instruments that require trained personnel to manage it, is time-consuming, and is not suitable for rapid testing. Researchers in China have identified a new diagnostic tool which is the nucleic acid isothermal amplification technique (IAT) that not only overcomes the shortcomings of PCR but is also suitable for rapid testing.
Isothermal amplification techniques do not require abrupt heating and cooling mechanisms that are needed in PCR machines, and they enhance the activity of the DNA polymerase enzyme, thereby reducing the detection process to less than an hour! Four Isothermal Amplification Techniques (IATs) Four IAT’s, namely simultaneous amplification and testing (SAT), recombinase-aided…
