CRISPR Test Diagnoses Mpox Faster Than Lab-Based PCR Method
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 14 Feb 2024 |
|
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a rare viral disease transmitted through physical contact and typically presents mild symptoms like fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, though severe cases can require medical intervention. Due to its contagious nature, prompt testing is crucial for isolation and treatment purposes. Current mpox testing requires laboratory equipment and may take hours to yield results. Now, new research suggests a way for faster mpox testing that could be done in any clinic.
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA, USA) have utilized CRISPR, the groundbreaking gene-editing technology, to develop a faster mpox test. For their study, the team designed a genetic sequence with an attached reporter specifically targeting the mpox virus. The test employs programmable CRISPR RNA that binds to the target and a protein called Cas12a, which together cleaves the reporter to produce fragments of varying sizes. Using nanopore sensing technology, these reporter fragments are analyzed to rapidly and accurately determine the presence of mpox in a sample.
The specificity of the test was validated by its inability to detect cowpox virus, a relative of mpox, thereby confirming its exclusive sensitivity to mpox. This testing method significantly reduces the detection time, taking only 32 to 55 minutes depending on the viral load, compared to the longer duration required for PCR lab testing. The research team is exploring the application of this nanopore technology for the development of tests for other pathogens, aiming to enable multi-target testing from a single sample using a portable device. Although this technology is not yet commercially available, the researchers hope to create a device that could facilitate widespread pathogen testing.
Related Links:
Pennsylvania State University
Latest Microbiology News
- RNA-Based Workflow Identifies Active Skin Microbes for Dermatology Research
- Cost-Effective Sampling and Sequencing Workflow Identifies ICU Infection Hotspots
- New Bacterial Target Identified for Early Detection of Noma
- Genomic Analysis Links Emerging Streptococcal Strains to Specific Infections
- Rapid Urine Test Speeds Antibiotic Selection for UTIs
- WHO Endorses Rapid Point-of-Care Testing to Improve TB Detection
- Breath Analysis Approach Offers Rapid Detection of Bacterial Infection
- Study Highlights Accuracy Gaps in Consumer Gut Microbiome Kits
- WHO Recommends Near POC Tests, Tongue Swabs and Sputum Pooling for TB Diagnosis
- New Imaging Approach Could Help Predict Dangerous Gut Infection
- Rapid Sequencing Could Transform Tuberculosis Care
- Blood-Based Viral Signature Identified in Crohn’s Disease
- Hidden Gut Viruses Linked to Colorectal Cancer Risk
- Three-Test Panel Launched for Detection of Liver Fluke Infections
- Rapid Test Promises Faster Answers for Drug-Resistant Infections
- CRISPR-Based Technology Neutralizes Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
AI-Enabled POC Test Quantifies Multiple Cardiac Biomarkers
Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death, responsible for nearly 20 million deaths each year. Timely triage of myocardial infarction and heart failure hinges on rapid cardiac biomarker measurement,... Read more
Next Generation Automated Analyzers Increase Throughput for Clinical Chemistry and Electrolyte Testing
Clinical laboratories continue to face staffing shortages, limited space, and growing test volumes that pressure chemistry and electrolyte workflows. Maintaining rapid turnaround times increasingly depends... Read more
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
New Gene Signature Reveals Underdiagnosed Lung Cancer Subtype
Combined small-cell lung cancer (cSCLC) is a rare lung malignancy in which tumors display both small-cell and non-small-cell features. These mixed tumors are commonly managed as standard small-cell disease... Read more
Genome Sequencing Identifies Noncoding Variants Causing Neonatal Diabetes
Neonatal diabetes is a rare form of diabetes that presents in the first six months of life and is driven by genetic changes, yet many affected families still lack definitive diagnoses. Genetic studies... Read more
Hematology
view channel
Prognostic Tool Guides Personalized Treatment in Rare Blood Cancer
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a rare blood cancer in which acquired genetic mutations in bone marrow stem cells drive disease. Stem cell transplantation is the only curative option but carries... Read more
New Platelet Function Assay Enables Monitoring of Antiplatelet Therapy
Monitoring response to antiplatelet therapy remains challenging for many clinical laboratories. Aggregation-based assays and cartridge systems often require specialized personnel, dedicated instruments,... Read more
Immunology
view channel
Study Finds Influenza Often Undiagnosed in Winter Deaths
Seasonal influenza drives substantial excess mortality, yet its contribution is often obscured when infections go undiagnosed near the time of death. Many deaths occur outside hospitals or in older adults... Read more
Combined Screening Approach Identifies Early Leprosy Cases
Leprosy remains a significant public health concern, with more than 200,000 new cases reported globally each year and early disease often escaping routine laboratory detection. In its initial phase, bacterial... Read more
Pathology
view channel
AI Improves Completeness of Complex Cancer Pathology Reports
Oncology teams increasingly rely on pathology reports that integrate histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and rapidly expanding biomarker testing. As patients live longer and undergo repeated analyses... Read more
AI Tool Predicts Chemotherapy Response in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Small cell lung cancer often presents at an extensive stage and progresses rapidly, leaving little time to tailor first-line therapy. Clinicians currently lack biomarkers to guide which patients will benefit... Read more_image.png "Image: Through neoadjuvant therapy combining chemotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) for 46 LAGC patients and single-cell transcriptome sequencing, researchers found that tumor cells in the treatment-sensitive group specifically upregulated MHC-II (tumor-specific major histocompatibility complex class II, tsMHC-II) molecules (photo courtesy of Science China Press)")
Tumor-Specific Biomarker Predicts Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy Response in Gastric Cancer
Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy and the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, with China bearing nearly half of the global burden. Only a subset of patients benefit from... Read more
Technology
view channel
Noninvasive Sputum Test Detects Early Lung Cancer
Early detection remains critical for improving outcomes in lung cancer, yet clinicians increasingly encounter indeterminate pulmonary nodules found incidentally or through screening, complicating decision-making.... Read more
New AI Tool Enables Rapid Treatment Selection in Pediatric Leukemia
Children with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia face an aggressive disease that remains difficult to treat. Although remission rates have improved, many survivors experience long-term effects from intensive... Read more
Breakthrough Mass Spectrometry Design Could Enable Ultra-Low Abundance Detection
Mass spectrometry is central to identifying and quantifying molecules in complex biological samples, but conventional instruments typically analyze ions sequentially, which can limit detection of rare species.... Read more
Industry
view channel
GRAIL Partners with Epic to Integrate Multi-Cancer Test into EHR
GRAIL’s Galleri multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test is being integrated into Epic’s electronic health record (EHR) platform through Epic Aura. The collaboration is designed to let clinicians at interested... Read more
