India: This RT-PCR test for monkeypox gives result in less than 50 minutes

Diagnostic company Genes2Me has claimed that its POX-Q Multiplexed RT-PCR kit produces results in less than 50 minutes with a high accuracy rate.

Diagnostic company Genes2Me on Tuesday announced that they have developed a real-time PCR-based kit for monkeypox virus.

The company claimed that its POX-Q Multiplexed RT-PCR kit produces results in less than 50 minutes with a high accuracy rate.

"This unprecedented time underscores the importance of diagnostic assays in health security preparedness and readiness. Understanding the value of time, we have launched this RT PCR for Monkeypox which will give the result in less than 50 minutes with the highest accuracy," said Neeraj Gupta, CEO and Founder of Genes2Me, in a statement.

Gupta noted that the company currently has the "capacity to manufacture 5 million test kits in a week, and it can be scaled up to 2 million tests in a day with the added demand".

Amid more than 16,000 cases of monkeypox being reported from 75 countries, including four from India, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

The WHO recommended that specimen type for laboratory confirmation of monkeypox is skin lesion material, including swabs of lesion surface and/or exudate, roofs from more than one lesion, or lesion crusts.

Hence, for detection of monkeypox, both dry swabs and swabs placed in VTM or viral transport medium -- a solution used to preserve virus specimens after collection -- can be used.

The kit is available in both the standard version for any commonly available RT-PCR instruments as well as point-of-care format on Genes2Me Rapi-Q HT Rapid RT-PCR device.

The point-of-care solution can be used for screening at multiple sites including hospitals, airports, diagnostic labs, health camps, among others, the company said.

--IANS

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