Indian scientists develop ‘Saline Gargle RT-PCR method’ for testing Covid

Scientists at NEERI say that it is simple, fast, cost-effective, patient-friendly and comfortable

Hyderabad: Here is a great news for those who feel nasal and oral swab tests uncomfortable, scientists at Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have developed ‘Saline Gargle RT-PCR Method’ for testing COVID-19 samples.

Simple, Fast, Comfortable, Economical

Scientists at NEERI say that it is simple, fast, cost-effective, patient-friendly and comfortable; it also offers instant results and is well-suited for rural and tribal areas, given minimal infrastructure requirements.

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Dr. Krishna Khairnar, Senior Scientist, Environmental Virology Cell, NEERI says: “Swab collection method requires time. Moreover, since it is an invasive technique, it is a bit uncomfortable for patients. Some time is lost also in the transport of the sample to the collection centre. On the other hand, the Saline Gargle RT-PCR method is instant, comfortable and patient-friendly. Sampling is done instantly and results will be generated within 3 hours.”

Patient herself can collect the sample

The method is non-invasive and so simple that the patient herself can collect the sample, explains Dr. Khairnar. “Collection methods like nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab collection require technical expertise; they are also time-consuming. In contrast, the Saline Gargle RT-PCR method uses a simple collection tube filled with saline solution. The patient gargles the solution and rinses it inside the tube. This sample in the collection tube is taken to the laboratory where it is kept at room temperature, in a special buffer solution prepared by NEERI. An RNA template is produced when this solution is heated, which is further processed for Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). This particular method of collecting and processing the sample enables us to save on the otherwise costly infrastructural requirement of RNA extraction. People can also test themselves, since this method allows self-sampling.” The method is environment-friendly as well, since waste generation is minimized.

.@CSIR_NEERI has developed ‘Saline Gargle #RTPCR Method’ for testing #COVID19 samples

Saline Gargle
No Swab
Simple
Fast
Economical
“Get Result within 3 Hours, Suitable for Rural and Tribal Areas”pic.twitter.com/3jwlAEIHHU

Details: https://t.co/auVA6eQ29S

— PIB India (@PIB_India) May 28, 2021

Boon for testing in rural and tribal areas

The scientist expects that this innovative testing technique will be especially beneficial for rural and tribal areas where infrastructure requirements can be a constraint. The non-technique has received the approval of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). NEERI has further been asked to train other testing labs, to help scale up its adoption across the country.

 

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