Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, an Institute of National Importance, of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has developed a diagnostic test kit that can confirm COVID19 in 2 hours at low cost.
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The confirmatory diagnostic test detects the N Gene of SARS-COV2 virus using reverse transcriptase loop-mediated amplification of viral nucleic acid (RT-LAMP).
The test kit is funded by the DST called Chitra GeneLAMP-N.
The kit is highly specific for SARS-CoV-2 N-gene and can detect two regions of the gene. It will ensure that the test does not fail even if one region of the viral gene undergoes mutation during its current spread.
The tests were authorized by ICMR and performed at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Alappuzha. It showed that Chitra GeneLAMP- N has 100% accuracy and match with test results using Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
The testing facility can be easily set up even in the laboratories of district hospitals with limited facilities and trained laboratory technicians.
The testing with the new device for LAMP testing and the test kit for 2 regions of N gene(including RNA extraction) will cost less than Rs.1000 per test for the laboratory.
