ICMR approves saline gargle RT-PCR test developed by NEERI for COVID-19 detection

Amid COVID-19 Outbreak, India has been making multiple efforts in order to augment its testing infrastructure and capacity. Under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Scientists of the Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) have achieved another milestone in this journey with their new innovation. The Nagpur based institute has developed a 'Saline Gargle RT-PCR Method' for testing COVID-19 samples. This new Sample Gargle method offers some attractive benefits such as-- 

• simple, fast, cost-effective, patient-friendly and comfortable. 
•  it also offers instant results and is well-suited for rural and tribal areas, given minimal infrastructure requirements

How to Use

Dr Krishna Khairnar, Senior Scientist, Environmental Virology Cell, NEERI explains how to take the 'Saline Gargle RT-PCR Test' and get results within 3 hours. The method is non-invasive and so simple that the patient can themselves collect the sample, he added.

In the video, he said “Collection methods like nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab collection require technical expertise; they are also time-consuming. In contrast, the Saline Gargle RT-PCR method uses a simple collection tube filled with saline solution. The patient gargles the solution and rinses it inside the tube. This sample in the collection tube is taken to the laboratory where it is kept at room temperature, in a special buffer solution prepared by NEERI. An RNA template is produced when this solution is heated, which is further processed for  Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). This particular method of collecting and processing the sample enables us to save on the otherwise costly infrastructural requirement of  RNA extraction. People can also test themselves since this method allows self-sampling.” The method is environment-friendly as well since waste generation is minimized".

ICMR approves Saline Gargle RT-PCR test

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved the use of the Saline Gargle RT-PCR test developed by CSIR NEERI for COVID-19 detection and shared some salient features and advantages:

• Nasopharyngeal swab, oropharyngeal swab and viral transport NOT required.
• Skilled health care workers for sample collection NOT required.
• Non-invasive sampling and patient-friendly.
• Waste  generation during sample collection is minimised
• Self-sampling is possible.
• Fast sampling is possible 
• Long queues of patients persons at sample collection centre can be minimised
• No RNA extraction kit required. Simple room temperature incubation in buffer, followed by heating for few minutes is good enough to give a reasonably good RNA template for Direct RT-PCR.
• Saves time and money.

Boon for Testing in Rural & Tribal Areas

The scientist believes that this innovative testing technique will be especially beneficial for rural and tribal areas where infrastructure requirements can be a constraint. As the non-technique has received approval from the ICMR-- NEERI  has further been asked to train other testing labs, to help scale up its adoption across the country. Nagpur Municipal Corporation has given permission to go ahead with the method, following which testing has begun at NEERI, as per approved testing protocol.

Need to Implement Pan India

As the Scientists, researchers and lab technicians of the Environmental Virology Cell at NEERI have taken painstaking efforts to develop this patient-friendly technique amid surging COVID-19 infections in the Vidarbha region. Dr Khairnar and his team hope that the method is implemented at the national level, resulting in faster and more citizen-friendly testing, thereby strengthening our battle against the pandemic.

(Image Credits: Twitter-@PIBMumbai /PIXABAY)