Learn about the HIV diagnostic PCR test

PCR test is considered as a breakthrough in medicine to help diagnose early and accurately diseases related to microbial infections, gene-related diseases... HIV is a dangerous disease that early detection carries With high treatment efficiency, HIV diagnostic PCR test helps to diagnose HIV disease at an early stage when traditional methods have not been detected.

PCR stands for Polymerase Chain Reaction is a technique invented in 1985 by an American scientist named Kary Mullis.
The working principle of PCR is that from a selected segment of DNA it will be multiplied millions of times or more, to create a large number of copies of DNA without having to clone based on temperature cycles .
By PCR technique, from a very small amount of DNA template such as: a drop of blood, a hair or a cell, ... one can accurately and orderly amplify a large number of copies up to millions of copies to serve for the investigation process in the reaction.
Thanks to that, now with the HIV test by PCR method, it only takes a few hours on the test tube to get the results.
HIV PCR test method is the most valuable test method among HIV testing methods, It is also the HIV test method with high accuracy and efficiency.
In addition to its application in HIV testing, PCR is also widely used in medicine. PCR test is often used to diagnose specific diseases, related to microorganisms or analyze diseases related to inherited genes or mutated genes that traditional testing methods cannot do. .

Step 1
Take a specimen, usually blood. Step 2: Carry out technique
The first is to increase the temperature to about 94 degrees to 95 degrees to break hydrogen bonds to separate two strands of DNA molecules, creating a single DNA chain. Next, reduce the temperature to about 40 degrees to 70 degrees, carry out pairing of primers specific to the DNA process and determined to pair with the target DNA strands. This temperature should be low enough to allow the primer to pair with the DNA strand, but also high enough for specific pairing, that is, the primer should only fully bind to the complementary sequence on the template strand. If the temperature is too low, the primer will bind nonspecifically. If it is too high, the bait may not attach. At this step, the DNA strands are synthesized and elongated at a temperature of about 72 degrees, because the Taq polymerase will perform the synthesis of DNA strands in a sequence that is complementary to the template strand. The final stage is carried out at 4-15°C for some time. Short-term storage of reaction products.

3.1 Advantages The HIV PCR test method can detect microbial pathogens directly from specimens and can also classify the genetic patterns of these microorganisms without having to undergo further testing. culture medium. The HIV PCR test method usually gives faster identification results than the old HIV test. Usually no more than 5 hours from the start of the test. HIV PCR test method has extremely high sensitivity in diagnosing the disease. HIV should be detected early in the early stages of the disease, while traditional methods need a longer waiting time. Specifically, PCR testing after 2 weeks of behaviors that can cause HIV infection is to detect HIV status, while traditional methods need about 2 to 3 months. This test is used in the diagnosis of HIV infection for babies born to HIV-infected mothers in order to detect early cases of HIV-infected children. 3.2 Disadvantages To be able to perform this HIV PCR test method, it is necessary to have a qualified laboratory and equipped with the most modern equipment available today. Along with the need for modern equipment, the doctor who performs this method must have an extremely high level of expertise. The cost of performing an HIV PCR test is often more expensive than performing a test using the old method. The main reason is that chemicals used to perform HIV PCR tests are often imported from abroad at high prices. Along with that, the cost of a PCR testing machine is also extremely expensive. Since then, implementation costs are also expensive. Because of the above disadvantages, the PCR test method has not been widely developed, only used in some cases where it is necessary to diagnose specific diseases and related to viruses that other testing methods have not used. cannot be cultured and has extremely low sensitivity, giving long-term results as in some diseases: Tuberculosis, HIV, Hepatitis B, H5N1 viruses and dengue fever. Because it is a method that requires high equipment and technical expertise of doctors, the number of hospitals performing this method is currently not many. HIV PCR test is an advanced technique with the highest accuracy and efficiency compared to other HIV testing methods, helping patients to detect the infection status early to improve the effectiveness of treatment. prolong life and reduce hospitalization costs.
Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that not only ensures professional quality with a team of leading medical doctors, modern equipment and technology, but also stands out for its examination and consultation services. comprehensive and professional medical consultation and treatment; civilized, polite, safe and sterile medical examination and treatment space. Customers when choosing to perform tests here can be completely assured of the accuracy of test results.