PCR test
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a technique used for a wide range of tasks including detection and diagnosis of infectious disease. The technique exponentially amplifies a fragment of DNA or RNA by in vitro enzymatic replication and because PCR amplifies the regions of DNA or RNA that it targets, PCR can be used to analyze extremely small amounts of sample. Viral DNA or RNA can therefore be detected by PCR. The primers used need to be specific to the targeted sequences in the DNA or RNA of a virus, and the PCR can be used for diagnostic analyses or DNA or RNA sequencing of the viral genome. The high sensitivity of PCR permits virus detection soon after infection and even before the onset of disease, allowing for a significant lead in treatment. A patient’s viral load can also be quantified by PCR-based DNA or RNA quantitation techniques.
