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Molecular diagnosis uses the molecular signatures for disease identification, monitoring treatment effectiveness and predicting a patient's response to a new treatment. |
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Diagnosis of infectious diseases is one of the main applications of molecular diagnostics. |
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Based on the nucleic acid testing (NAT) technologies, molecular diagnostics does away with the false negative of
serological testing during window period. |
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Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has different variations such as real time PCR, reverse transcription PCR,
nested PCR, multiplex PCR etc. |
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PCR is based on the target amplification in which the targets are DNA or RNA. |
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Two different specific primers anneal to the corresponding complementary sequence present in the strands
of denatured DNA. Primers are then extended by DNA polymerase using binding of nucleotides (dNTPs).
This process is repeated many times (30 to 40 cycles) with cyclical temperature changes in a thermo cycler. |
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PCR method has new options for the physicians. For example, genotyping assays of HCV helps the physician to make the decision regarding course of therapy i.e., the assay may be of prognostic value. |
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One biggest application of PCR is to detect the mutations, which may make a person prone to a particular disease. |
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Another advantage of PCR is that one can use wide range of samples e.g. oral swabs, different tissues samples,
urine, serum and blood samples on the same assay. |
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In case of drug resistance, one can find the kind and cause of resistance. |
