Scientists develop new technology for rapid and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists in India have developed a new technology for the detection of the Sars_Cov_2 virus. This technology, fluorescence readout, will be helpful in detecting other viruses and pathogens such as HIV, influenza, HCV, Zika, Ebola, bacteria to name a few.

According to the Ministry of Science & Technology, “A team of scientists has developed a new technology, platform for fluorometric detection of pathogens such as viruses by measurement of fluorescent light emitted. The potential of the new technology has been demonstrated for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. This technology platform can also be used to detect other DNA/RNA pathogens such as HIV, influenza, HCV, Zika, Ebola, bacteria, and other mutating/evolving pathogens.

The Covid-19 has caused extensive damage in India and the world and the scientists were looking for an effective way to immediately identify its presence. The tests available in the world takes at least 8 hours to give the result.

“Viruses are a major global threat to human health, and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 continues to inflict catastrophic effects on all aspects of our lives. The unprecedented transmission rate of RNA virus has necessitated the rapid and accurate diagnosis to facilitate contact tracing (prevent spreading) and to provide timely treatment,” the Ministry said.

It added, “Scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, along with scientists from IISc (India Institute of Science), have demonstrated a noncanonical nucleic acid-based G-quadruplex (GQ) topology targeted reliable conformational polymorphism (GQ-RCP) platform to diagnose Covid-19 clinical samples. This work has been published recently in the journal ‘ACS Sensors’ and the team has also filed a patent for the novel technology.”