Covid-19 Detection Methods: rRT-PCR Method

Covid-19 Detection Methods: rRT-PCR Method
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Covid-19 Detection Methods: rRT-PCR Method

Covid-19 Detection Methods: rRT-PCR Method

Introduction

A key aspect of the current pandemic is the lack of data or information to inform decisions. Ioannidis (2020) reported that Covid-19 is not just a once-in-a-century pandemic; it is also a once-in-a-century evidence fiasco. Even lessons taken from previous pandemics have not helped to sufficiently address the current predicament. According to McCloskey et al. (2020), despite developments in the safety of mass gatherings during pandemics, the current pandemic seems to beat all the lessons given the number of mass gatherings canceled at the onset of the pandemic. More importantly, however, the lack of information also shapes medical methods of detecting the virus. Since the virus was declared a pandemic, different countries and organizations have tried to find effective detection methods since there is no universally effective method due to the scarcity of information (Dhamad & Rhida, 2020).

rRT-PCR Method

            So far, the methods of detecting Covid-19 can be classified into two groups: serological and molecular methods (Shabani et al., 2020). Serological methods include Lateral Flow and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent essays. On the other hand, molecular methods include rRT-PCR, isothermal amplification-based, and CRSPR-Cas12 based methods. According to Corman et al. (2020), the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is the gold standard and reliable diagnostic method with a high positive agreement (sensitivity) and negative agreement (specificity). According to Jawerth (2020), rRT-PCR is among "…the most accurate laboratory methods for detecting, tracking, and studying the virus." The method has been effective before in detecting Ebola and Zika viruses and can be adapted to detect coronavirus. As a result, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) are supporting countries in the utilization of the detection method highlighting its effectiveness and reliability. The method has been used extensively in the United States and the United Kingdom and continues to be used in developing nations (CDC, 2021). A key aspect of the methods, frequently captured by media, is collecting swabs either from the mouth or nostrils. The real-time trait of the methods implies that diagnosis results are produced almost immediately. Based on CDC travel recommendation, results should be valid three days before a flight departure implying that the method can provide valid results within 72 hours.

            The rRT-PCR method is a nuclear-derived method that detects the presence of a specific genetic material in any pathogen (Nicole Jawert...