In Brazil, genetic tests for mass screening of the coronavirus - France 24

Sao Paulo (AFP)

A hospital in Sao Paulo has developed new technology that can significantly increase the screening capacity for the sorely needed coronavirus in Brazil, through genetic testing.

With new generation sequencing, genetic analysis developed by the private Albert Einstein reference hospital identifies the ribonucleic acid (RNA) of the virus.

The samples are collected from secretions taken using cotton swabs, in the mouth and in the nose, for results within 72 hours.

But the main advantage of this innovative method is that it can analyze 16 times more tests in one go than the virological RT-PCR method, the most used today. It allows 1,536 simultaneous analyzes, against 96 for RT-PCR.

With six machines put into service in June, the hospital will be able to perform 9,000 additional tests per day, in addition to the 2,000 RT-PCRs currently carried out.

"This revolutionizes screening in Brazil, allowing mass testing, on a much larger scale and at lower cost, without the need to import products," said Sidney Klajner, president of the hospital, who filed an international patent for this technology.

Currently, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Brazil is largely underestimated, the screening capacity being so reduced that the vast majority of people tested already show serious symptoms of the disease, in this country with continental dimensions of 210 millions of inhabitants.

The latest official report from the Ministry of Health reports 438,238 confirmed cases, making Brazil the second country in the world in terms of infected persons and the sixth in terms of deaths, with 26,417 deplored deaths.

Public and private laboratories had totaled 871,839 RT-PCR tests until May 26, for a rate of 4,251 tests per million inhabitants, five times less than in France and 12 times less than in the United States.

"We know that the lack of tests limits the possibility of taking measures to prevent the virus from spreading," said Joao Renato Rebello Pinto, who coordinates one of the hospital's research laboratories.

© 2020 AFP