Is it Omicron or Delta? CoVarScan, the new COVID-19 test, that detects all variants within hours

Picture used for representational functions. AFP

The world remains to be within the grips of the coronavirus pandemic and since its outbreak in early 2020, the virus has mutated a number of occasions over, inflicting a surge in circumstances.

India is at the moment witnessing an increase in infections; on Wednesday, it reported 16,159 new COVID circumstances — 23.48 per cent greater than Tuesday’s tally — and 28 deaths. Some medical specialists attribute the extremely transmissible Omicron sub-variant BA.5 to be the reason for the rise in circumstances in India.

Because the struggle in opposition to coronavirus continues and the demand to know which variant is an individual contaminated with, scientists and researchers at College of Texas Medical Centre have developed a brand new COVID-19 take a look at package that may detect all  variants of the virus rapidly and precisely. The outcomes of the take a look at, referred to as CoVarScan, had been not too long ago printed within the Medical Chemistry journal.

Researchers additionally famous that the take a look at is as correct as some other take a look at that’s used to diagnose coronavirus.

Though different take a look at kits like RT-PCR and speedy antigen work effectively to detect infections, a standard disadvantage in these testing strategies is that they will’t reveal the variant an individual is contaminated with.

In keeping with a Occasions of India report, some researchers fear that the prevailing testing strategies will not be at all times correct in detecting some variants.

Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the take a look at that may detect all variants very quickly.

What’s CoVarScan?

The take a look at identifies the signature of eight hotspots on the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It could possibly differentiate between Delta, Omicron, Lambda and Mu variants of COVID-19 inside hours.

Different exams like RT-PCR and speedy antigen solely detect a fraction of the virus, that are typically discovered on its floor. Not like CoVarScan, they do not establish the variant of COVID however can solely inform if an individual is COVID optimistic or not.

How does the brand new take a look at work?

The CoVarScan take a look at detects small mutations the place the sequence of Ribonucleic acid (RNA) varies and measures the size of repetitive genetic areas that are inclined to develop and shrink because the virus evolves.

The take a look at depends on polymerase chain response (PCR) to repeat and measure the RNA on the eight areas of SARS-CoV-2.

The analysis discovered that the tactic had 96 per cent sensitivity and 99 per cent specificity versus entire genome sequencing.

Jeffrey SoRelle, an assistant professor at College of Texas and senior writer of the research stated, “Utilizing this take a look at, we are able to decide in a short time what variants are in the neighborhood and if a brand new variant is rising.”

He additional added that the take a look at can decide what variants are fashionable in the neighborhood and if a brand new variant is rising.

Take a look at ran on 4,000 sufferers

Over 4,000 sufferers have undergone the brand new CoVarScan take a look at. In keeping with a report on The Hindu, Dr SoRelle’s group collected nasal swab samples from COVID contaminated sufferers — each with signs and with out signs.

The outcomes of those exams which had been validated with the entire genome sequencing had been utilized by docs to deal with some critically ailing sufferers.

The take a look at differentiated Delta, Mu, Lambda and Omicron variants of COVID, together with the BA.2 sub-version of Omicron.

How properly is the take a look at performing?

Dr SoRelle stated that the take a look at is performing very properly regardless of the critique that this type of take a look at requires frequent changes to new variants. Nevertheless, he stated that CoVarScan hasn’t required any adjustment in additional than a yr.

“Sooner or later, if we did want to regulate it, we may simply add as many as 20 to 30 extra hotspots to the take a look at,” he added.

Dr SoRelle hopes to commercialise the take a look at and has a pending patent utility primarily based on his work. 

With inputs from businesses

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