HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, July 12: The ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, North East (ICMR-RMRCNE) in Dibrugarh has developed the world’s most affordable TB testing technology. The ‘CRISPR Cas-based TB detection system’ can identify TB bacteria using DNA from a patient’s saliva for just Rs 35.
“This system can detect the bacteria at the earliest symptoms, testing over 1500 samples simultaneously within approximately two hours. It is so simple that it can be used even in the primary health center of a village,” said a researcher at ICMR-RMRC Lahowal.
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This cost-effective, ultra-sensitive molecular detection system for Mycobacterium tuberculosis utilises CRISPR-Cas technology, making it suitable for near point-of-care setups.
“This process employs a CRISPR Cas12a based fluorescence diagnostic system for the qualitative detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex at the nucleic acid level. It uses the ‘GlowTBPCR Kit’ and ‘RapidGlow device’ (an incubator cum real-time/end-point fluorescence reader) for result interpretation,” explained another researcher.
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health challenge, necessitating the development of accurate and rapid diagnostic tools for effective disease management. Current diagnostic methods often exhibit limitations in sensitivity, specificity, speed, and cost, highlighting the need for innovative approaches.
Conventional TB diagnostic techniques commonly rely on culture (which requires 42 days to confirm as TB negative), microscopy, and nucleic acid-based methods. These are time-consuming and may require sophisticated equipment. Additionally, some molecular diagnostic methods, while offering improved sensitivity, may lack the desired specificity or face challenges associated with cost and ease of handling.
To address these problems, the CRISPR-Cas12a-based molecular diagnostic system, ‘GlowTBPCR Kit’, combined with an amplification step (using a thermal cycler) and the ‘RapidGlow device’, provides a promising solution.
