Very soon, the novel coronavirus could be visually detected in next to no time.
In what could be a landmark study, scientists at University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have developed an experimental diagnostic test for Covid-19 that can visually detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in 10 minutes.
“Based on our preliminary results, we believe this promising new test may detect RNA material from the virus as early as the first day of infection. Additional studies are needed, however, to confirm whether this is indeed the case,” said Dipanjan Pan, professor of diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine and pediatrics at UMSOM.
UMSOM issued a press release, explaining that the test uses a highly specific molecule which attaches itself to gold nanoparticles, that is able to detect a specific protein which is a part of the genetic sequence unique to the virus.
The findings of Pan, leader of the study, and his team members have been published in the journal ACS Nano.
In the ‘naked eye’ test, a nasal swab or saliva sample is taken from the patient and mixed with a laboratory test, which contains a liquid mixed with gold nanoparticles attached to a molecule that binds itself to SARS-CoV-2. In the event of the solution turning deep blue, the virus is present. If the solution retains its purple hue, the virus is not present.
This method is faster than the conventional RT-PCR test.
