Industry News

How to Collect the Sample for a Saliva Cortisol Test

Cortisol is the most abundant circulating steroid and the major glucocorticoid secreted by the adrenal cortex.  It helps the body use sugar (glucose) and fat for energy (metabolism). It also helps the body manage stress. Cortisol testing helps diagnose Cushing syndrome, primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency as well as other malfunctions of the adrenal and pituitary glands. The following are …

China-based Researchers Develop Rapid Testing Methods for Monkeypox Virus

BEIJING — Some China-based researchers have recently developed three rapid testing methods for monkeypox virus (MPXV) that can provide the result in 20 to 30 minutes and are significantly faster than the traditional quantitative real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method. Quantitative real-time PCR is currently the gold standard for MPXV diagnostics, but it requires trained laboratory personnel and specialized equipment, …

Guidelines for Monkeypox Specimen Collection

Skin specimens of the lesions should be collected as soon as monkeypox is suspected. Proper specimen collection is the most important step in the laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases. Improperly collected specimens may lead to false negatives or inconclusive results. Below are a guidelines for monkeypox specimen collection. 1. Remove 1 specimen collection swab from its package. Do not touch …

China Has Successfully Isolated Monkeypox Virus Strain and Started Vaccine Drug Research

A Chinese research institute said on Thursday that it has successfully isolated the monkeypox virus from samples of infected cases and has begun researching vaccines and drugs to fight the infectious disease. The Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, a research unit under the State-owned Sinopharm’s China National Biotech Group, made the announcement. The World Health Organization declared the global monkeypox …

China already has a single-tube nucleic acid testing capacity of more than 100 million tubes per day

On October 13, at the press conference of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council, Liang Wannian, head of the expert group of the National Health Commission’s Leading Group for Epidemic Response and Disposal, said that the key to the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic is “early detection”, and nucleic acid testing is the key …

Procedure for Swab Sampling for Validation of Test Surface to Evaluate Cleaning Efficacy

Swab sampling procedure: 1. Pipette out 5 ml of sampling solvent in the transport container. 2. Remove a swab from its protective bag using a clean latex hand glove. 3. Avoid touching the swab head to prevent its contamination. 4. Transfer the swab in transport container (test tube) containing 5 ml of sampling solvent and allow the swab to soak …

3 Key Steps to the COVID-19 PCR Test

The PCR test has been the gold standard test for diagnosing COVID-19, it’s accurate and reliable. There are three key steps to the COVID-19 PCR test: Sample collection: A healthcare provider uses a swab to collect respiratory material found in your nose. A swab is a soft tip on a long, flexible stick that goes into your nose. There are …

How to Do a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test At Home

At-home rapid antigen tests are a key in stopping the spread of COVID-19, but it’s important to do them properly. MEDICO shares a step-by-step guide on how to use a common COVID test at home. Suitable Crowd 1. Those with obvious symptoms: Those who have obvious respiratory symptoms, such as dry throat, cough, wheezing, accompanied by fever symptoms, and those …

WHO: End of COVID-19 pandemic is ‘in sight’

The WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a briefing Wednesday that the global pandemic of the COVID-19 is expected to end, and the number of newly notified cases has dropped significantly, urging the world to seize the opportunity to end the pandemic. Agence France-Presse reported that since COVID-19 was confirmed at the end of 2019, it has so far …

How Does the Monkeypox Virus Spread?

The monkeypox virus spreads through close contact with an infected animal or person. Or it can spread when a person handles materials such as blankets that have been in contact with someone who has monkeypox. The monkeypox virus spreads from person to person through: • Direct contact with rashes, scabs or body fluids of a person with monkeypox. • Extended …

The Four Most Important Criteria to Choose a Swab for Cleaning Validation

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, the product must not be contaminated by previous product as well as it should not be contaminated with the cleaning agent used for equipment cleaning. To verify the cleaning process it is validated by taking the sample from various parts of cleaned equipment that is to be used in the manufacturing process and these samples are analyzed …

Children as Young as Age Four Can Self-Swab for COVID-19 Testing

A new study suggests that school aged children can swab their own samples for COVID-19 testing, according to clinical researchers from Atlanta’s Emory University School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Before this study, the FDA imposed regulations that prevented children younger than age 14 years from self-swabbing for COVID-19. New data led researchers to suggest updating this policy …