CCMB finds cheaper way to detect virus in Telangana

The RT-nPCR test would come handy for those labs that do not own or have the capacity to afford the ‘real time thermal cycler’ machine, which is required to conduct the RT-qPCR test.

A health worker busy taking nasal swab from a woman for Covid-19 test at a Public Health Laboratory and Health Care Center. (Photo | Debdatta Mallick, EPS)

HYDERABAD: The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has reported a new technique of detecting the novel Coronavirus, called RT-nPCR test, which is cheaper than the one currently being used in the country, the RT-qPCR test. 

The RT-nPCR test would come handy for those labs that do not own or have the capacity to afford the ‘real time thermal cycler’ machine, which is required to conduct the RT-qPCR test. The RT-qPCR test can be performed only in labs that have basic molecular biology equipment, a simple thermal cycler and a BSL2 room with Class II laminar flow hood.

The CCMB researchers reported that the RT-nPCR technique is not just as good as the RT-qPCR, but in a few samples with less viral load, it could detect the novel coronavirus, which the current one cannot. 

“This (RT-nPCR) will be a very cheap and sensitive method for testing, which can be used where there is lack of expert manpower and sophisticated machines such as RT-PCR, especially in remote areas,” CCMB director Dr Rakesh Mishra said. He added that the CCMB would soon notify the ICMR about this new testing technique.