Recently, with the adjustment of my country's epidemic prevention policies, many places across the country have also successively optimized prevention and control measures. In many cities across the country, except for nursing homes, hospitals and other special places, no negative nucleic acid test certificate is checked. Due to the emergence of the new crown epidemic, nucleic acid testing has entered people's lives. As many places in many places no longer check nucleic acid certificates, this will also reduce the number of times people do nucleic acid. Another problem arises in . As self-used antigen detection begins to enter people's field of vision, what is the difference between nucleic acid detection and antigen detection? Which detection is more accurate?
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Nucleic acid detection is a technology used to detect nucleic acid sequences on genetic material (RNA or DNA). This technology is usually used to detect and identify certain organisms, such as viruses or bacteria. The principle is that the genetic material of each organism has its own specific sequence, which distinguishes it from other organisms.
Nucleic acid detection principle of the novel coronavirus - All organisms except prion contain nucleic acids, including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). The novel coronavirus is a virus that only contains RNA. The specific RNA sequence in the virus is a marker that distinguishes the virus from other pathogens. After the emergence of the novel coronavirus, scientists completed the analysis of the entire genome sequence of the novel coronavirus in a very short time, and discovered the specific nucleic acid sequence in the novel coronavirus by comparing it with the genome sequences of other species. During laboratory testing, if the specific nucleic acid sequence of the novel coronavirus can be detected in the patient sample, it is proved that the patient may be infected with the novel coronavirus. The most common method of detecting specific sequences of novel coronavirus is fluorescence quantitative PCR (polymerase chain reaction). polymerase chain reaction is a method widely used to quickly make millions to billions (full or partial) copies of specific DNA samples, allowing scientists to take very small DNA samples and (amplify) large enough to study in detail. Since the polymerase chain reaction template is only DNA, the novel coronavirus nucleic acid (RNA) should be reverse transcribed into DNA before the polymerase chain reaction.
polymerase chain reaction is the basis of many procedures used in gene detection and studies, including the analysis of ancient DNA samples and identification of infectious agents. Using PCR, a very small number of copies of DNA sequences amplified exponentially over a series of temperature-changing cycles. PCR is now a commonly used and often indispensable technology in medical laboratory research, and its application ranges are wide, including biomedical research and criminal evidence collection.
antigen detection - antigen detection (RAT), is a fast diagnostic test suitable for instant detection, which can directly detect the presence or absence of antigen . Antigens are part of the pathogen that causes an immune response. Antigen tests look for antigen proteins from the surface of the virus. In the case of coronavirus , these are usually proteins from surface spikes.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of nucleic acid detection and antigen detection? Which one is more accurate? COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test is a lateral flow immunoassay that detects the presence of specific viral antigens, suggesting that people may be infected by the virus. Antigen testing can quickly produce results (within about 15-30 minutes), while antigen self-test is a quick test that can be performed at home or anywhere for easy use.
Although antigen detection is convenient and fast, its accuracy is lower than nucleic acid detection. Nucleic acid tests it will check whether there is genetic material inside the virus that causes COVID-19. DNA and RNA are nucleic acids, also known as genetic material. PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction, and polymerase is an enzyme that can replicate genetic material. Genetic material can be isolated in the laboratory, however, only a little bit can be isolated from animals, plants, or viruses at a time. PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is used to copy many copies of the genetic material in order to detect it. Visualization of
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RT-PCR represents reverse transcriptase, which reads the RNA strand and produces matching DNA copies.The virus that causes COVID-19 is an RNA virus . reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) converts RNA in the virus into DNA and then replicates a lot of DNA. PCR amplification and detection should be performed using the specified fluorescence quantitative PCR instrument. The sample Ct value obtained by fluorescence quantitative PCR can be determined whether the patient sample contains the novel coronavirus.
This DNA can also be sequenced by observing each base pair of the nucleic acid and comparing it with other sequences of the virus. This is how we know that the virus has changed and when new variants appear. The advantage of this test is that it can be performed at any time even if the patient does not show symptoms. The disadvantage is that laboratories and special equipment are required to complete. Another disadvantage is that polymerases take time to copy DNA.
In short, with the continuous optimization and adjustment of my country's epidemic prevention policies, antigen testing is suitable for people to use at home, but the disadvantage is that its accuracy is not as high as nucleic acid testing. So this requires people to take their own needs. If for convenient and fast detection, antigen detection is a good choice. If high-precision detection is required, then everyone should do nucleic acid. The above is what we have today. I am Huo Zongjun, see you next time.
The virus that causes COVID-19 is an RNA virus . reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) converts RNA in the virus into DNA and then replicates a lot of DNA. PCR amplification and detection should be performed using the specified fluorescence quantitative PCR instrument. The sample Ct value obtained by fluorescence quantitative PCR can be determined whether the patient sample contains the novel coronavirus.This DNA can also be sequenced by observing each base pair of the nucleic acid and comparing it with other sequences of the virus. This is how we know that the virus has changed and when new variants appear. The advantage of this test is that it can be performed at any time even if the patient does not show symptoms. The disadvantage is that laboratories and special equipment are required to complete. Another disadvantage is that polymerases take time to copy DNA.
In short, with the continuous optimization and adjustment of my country's epidemic prevention policies, antigen testing is suitable for people to use at home, but the disadvantage is that its accuracy is not as high as nucleic acid testing. So this requires people to take their own needs. If for convenient and fast detection, antigen detection is a good choice. If high-precision detection is required, then everyone should do nucleic acid. The above is what we have today. I am Huo Zongjun, see you next time.
