Question: Recently Researchers from which of the following institution have developed rapid blood test for patients with Covid-19, based on detection of mitochondrial DNA?
a) Washington University School of Medicine at St. Louis( US)
b) Serum institute of India
c) Indian institute of Science
d) Bharat Biotech
Answer: (a)
Related Facts:
- Scientists have developed a rapid blood test that can predict high risk COVID-19 patients.
- Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine at St. Louis in the US have developed the procedure of this test.
- Through this test it is possible to know within a day of hospitalization which patients with Covid-19 are at the highest risk of severe complications or death.
- Knowing in advance may help identify those who may best benefit from specific investigational treatments.
- Researchers hoped that it may help identify those who may best benefit from specific investigational treatments.
- The test, described in the journal JCI Insight, measures levels of mitochondrial DNA.
- It should be known that mitochondrial DNA is a unique type of genetic material that normally resides inside mitochondria, the energy factories of cells.
- According to the researchers mitochondrial DNA spilling out of cells and into the bloodstream indicates that a type of violent cell death is taking place in the body.
- Doctors need better tools to evaluate the status of COVID-19 patients as early as possible because many of the treatments are in short supply.
- We need to understand why some patients, irrespective of their ages or underlying health in some cases, go into this hyperinflammatory death spiral.
- The study suggests that tissue damage may be one cause of this spiral since the mitochondrial DNA that is released is itself an inflammatory molecule.
- Viruses are known to cause a type of tissue damage called necrosis that is a violent, inflammatory response to the infection.
- The researchers said, adding that this may lead to cells breaking open and releasing their contents including mitochondrial DNA.
- In COVID-19 patients, there has been anecdotal evidence of this type of cell and tissue damage in the lung, heart and kidney.
- Researchers say it’s possible that measures of mitochondrial DNA in the blood may be an early sign of this type of cell death in vital organs.
- The scientists believe the new test could help predict disease severity and also act as a tool to better design clinical trials.
- It may help in identifying patients who might benefit from specific investigational treatments.
- Researchers are of the view that, they will need larger trials to verify what they have found in this study.
- They are hopeful, if could be determined in the first 24 hours of admission whether a patient is likely to need dialysis or intubation or medication to keep their blood pressure from dropping too low.
- It is said In the study that the researchers assessed 97 patients with COVID-19, measuring their mitochondrial DNA levels on the first day of their hospital stays.
- They found that mitochondrial DNA levels were much higher in patients who eventually were admitted to the ICU, intubated or died.
- According to the study, this association held independently of a patient’s age, sex and underlying health conditions.
- It noted that mitochondrial DNA levels were about tenfold higher in patients with COVID-19 who developed severe lung dysfunction or eventually died.
- They said the test could also predict outcomes as well as, or better than, existing markers of inflammation currently measured in patients hospitalised with COVID-19.
- According to the scientists, the test is quick to perform, returning results in less than an hour.
- This test uses the same machinery that processes the standard PCR test for COVID-19.
- They said the method allows mitochondrial DNA levels to be quantified directly from patient blood samples without requiring intermediate steps to extract the DNA from the blood.
- The researchers hope to verify that the test is accurate in a larger multi-centre trial before applying for approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.
By – Rajesh Tripathi
Links:-
https://indianexpress.com/article/world/scientists-rapid-blood-test-to-identify-patients-at-highest-risk-of-covid-19-7148905/
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rapid-blood-test-to-identify-patients-at-highest-risk-of-severe-covid19-101610764975487.html