GREY:LXXGQ - Post by User
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TanzaniteMotherLodeon Oct 04, 2020 4:28am
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Post# 31664037
What is PCR
What is PCR PCR is extensively used in analysing clinical specimens for the presence of infectious agents, including HIV, hepatitis, human papillomavirus (the causative agent of genital warts and cervical cancer), Epstein-Barr virus (glandular fever), malaria and anthrax. PCR is particularly invaluable in the early detection of HIV as it can identify the DNA of the virus within human cells immediately following infection, as opposed to the antibodies that are produced weeks or months after infection. PCR can also be used to determine the viral load (i.e. how much virus is circulating around the body), which is a useful measure of prognosis. The role of PCR in cancer diagnostics
PCR is an invaluable tool as it can provide information on a patient’s prognosis, and predict response or resistance to therapy. Many cancers are characterised by small mutations in certain genes, and this is what PCR is employed to identify.
Genetic diseases and paternity testing
Another important application of PCR is in the analysis of mutations that occur in many genetic diseases (e.g. cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anaemia, phenylketonuria, muscular dystrophy). Because of the sensitivity of PCR, this can be done from a single cell taken from an embryo before birth.
https://www.myvmc.com/investigations/pcr-polymerase-chain-reaction/