LONDON: Scientists in the UK have developed a low-cost lab-in-the-backpack that they say is as accurate as what is commercially available. covid-19 test in the detection of SARS-CoV-2.
The compact, mobile kit is relatively inexpensive to make, with a total cost of US$51, the researchers said.
This could offer alternative testing solutions for resource-poor countries or remote areas that have less access to well-equipped testing laboratories or trained personnel to process samples, he said.
“We are excited about the potential of this mobile lab to perform COVID-19 testing and the prospect of democratizing access to affordable testing technology,” said Professor Stoyan Smokov, a professor Queen Mary University of London,
“Covid-19 testing is a timely application, but we also believe that with this kit people can perform a great range of routine blood and urine tests, away from central hospital facilities providing a centrifuge,” Stoyn said. said.
The kit, described in PLOS One magazine, is a simple, non-invasive . based on covid-19 lamp test, It uses low-cost hardware, including a centrifuge made from recycled computer hard drives, to process the samples.
The LAMP test is a widely accepted alternative to the commonly used PCR test, with similar sensitivity.
However, unlike the PCR test, the LAMP test does not require temperature cycling. It only needs a high temperature to amplify any potential virus RNA.
This allows the test to be performed with only minimal equipment and reagents, the researchers said.
That said because the LAMP test uses saliva samples, it also avoids the need for invasive, uncomfortable nasal swabs, he said.
However, the high cost of commercially available LAMP tests, as well as the expensive laboratory equipment required to run them, mean that current commercial approaches are not suitable for remote locations, or in-house test,
“The new kit will provide a viable and affordable test for regions such as Africa, where innovative solutions are particularly important covid-19 pandemicEmily Lynn from Queen Mary University of London.
“It could also be used in resource-rich areas, for example, in high school classrooms to demonstrate how to test for COVID-19,” said study lead author Lin.
The researchers noted that routine testing is an important part of global efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is hoped that such low-cost testing solutions can help improve access to rapid and effective testing. Huh.
He said next steps would include making the kit instructions more understandable so that people can use them regardless of their experience or language, as well as validating the test with actual patient samples.
The compact, mobile kit is relatively inexpensive to make, with a total cost of US$51, the researchers said.
This could offer alternative testing solutions for resource-poor countries or remote areas that have less access to well-equipped testing laboratories or trained personnel to process samples, he said.
“We are excited about the potential of this mobile lab to perform COVID-19 testing and the prospect of democratizing access to affordable testing technology,” said Professor Stoyan Smokov, a professor Queen Mary University of London,
“Covid-19 testing is a timely application, but we also believe that with this kit people can perform a great range of routine blood and urine tests, away from central hospital facilities providing a centrifuge,” Stoyn said. said.
The kit, described in PLOS One magazine, is a simple, non-invasive . based on covid-19 lamp test, It uses low-cost hardware, including a centrifuge made from recycled computer hard drives, to process the samples.
The LAMP test is a widely accepted alternative to the commonly used PCR test, with similar sensitivity.
However, unlike the PCR test, the LAMP test does not require temperature cycling. It only needs a high temperature to amplify any potential virus RNA.
This allows the test to be performed with only minimal equipment and reagents, the researchers said.
That said because the LAMP test uses saliva samples, it also avoids the need for invasive, uncomfortable nasal swabs, he said.
However, the high cost of commercially available LAMP tests, as well as the expensive laboratory equipment required to run them, mean that current commercial approaches are not suitable for remote locations, or in-house test,
“The new kit will provide a viable and affordable test for regions such as Africa, where innovative solutions are particularly important covid-19 pandemicEmily Lynn from Queen Mary University of London.
“It could also be used in resource-rich areas, for example, in high school classrooms to demonstrate how to test for COVID-19,” said study lead author Lin.
The researchers noted that routine testing is an important part of global efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is hoped that such low-cost testing solutions can help improve access to rapid and effective testing. Huh.
He said next steps would include making the kit instructions more understandable so that people can use them regardless of their experience or language, as well as validating the test with actual patient samples.
,