CSIR-CCMB’s dry swab RT-PCR test method gets more validation

Another study highlights ‘immense’ value of the method in virus detection

CSIR-CCMB’s novel ‘Dry Swab’, extraction-free direct RT-PCR testing method, which has reduced the time taken for the COVID test result to be declared, got further validation with another study highlighting the ‘immense’ value of the method in the detection of any kind of variant, better sensitivity and illuminating more ‘scientific dimensions’.

Published by the Indian Academy of Sciences, Journal of Biosciences, in the latest issue, the “Temporal Stability and Detection Sensitivity of Dry Swab Diagnosis” of SARS-CoV-2 by scientists C.G. Gokulan, Uday Kiran, Santosh Kumar K and Rakesh Mishra of CSIR-CCM, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad and Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University, Frankfurt (Germany), discussed more advantages and scope for commercialisation as it can increase lab throughput by three-folds.

Challenges like reagent shortage, limited human resources and high transmission rate can be handled in a better manner to contain the infection and better allocation of medical resources, as it can quickly diagnose and control the spread. The study on temporal stability of two strains of SARS-CoV-2 at two different temperatures indicates that for shorter distance transportation, cold chain can be avoided and the dry swab samples with low viral load also is stable at RT for 24 hours.