Forty Years of Molecular Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases

Nearly 40 years have elapsed since the invention of the PCR, with its extremely sensitive and specific ability to detect nucleic acids via enzyme-mediated amplification. In turn, more than 2 years have passed since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, during which time mole...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of clinical microbiology 2022-10, Vol.60 (10), p.e0244621-e0244621
Main Authors:	Schmitz, Jonathan E, Stratton, Charles W, Persing, David H, Tang, Yi-Wei
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Bacteriology Communicable Diseases - diagnosis COVID-19 - diagnosis Humans Minireview Molecular Diagnostic Techniques - methods Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques - methods Nucleic Acids Pathology, Molecular
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	Nearly 40 years have elapsed since the invention of the PCR, with its extremely sensitive and specific ability to detect nucleic acids via enzyme-mediated amplification. In turn, more than 2 years have passed since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, during which time molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases have assumed a larger global role than ever before. In this context, we review broadly the progression of molecular techniques in clinical microbiology, to their current prominence. Notably, these methods now entail both the detection and quantification of microbial nucleic acids, along with their sequence-based characterization. Overall, we seek to provide a combined perspective on the techniques themselves, as well as how they have come to shape health care at the intersection of technologic innovation, pathophysiologic knowledge, clinical/laboratory logistics, and even financial/regulatory factors.
ISSN:	0095-1137 1098-660X