Molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases

Molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases

Molecular diagnosis reveals a direct marker of the causative agent of an infectious disease - its DNA, RNA or protein. This is a highly sensitive and highly specific method that allows you to diagnose even a small amount of DNA of a microorganism in cellular material, and as a result, make a diagnosis quickly and accurately.

Conservative methods of laboratory investigation of infections depended on many factors that reduce the accuracy of diagnosis - the cultural properties of the microorganism (many bacteria do not reproduce well in the test tube), preanalytics (how the sample was transported and stored), as well as pre-therapy (for example, antibiotics) that the patient underwent and the presence/absence of live viruses or bacteria in the samples.

2022: Laboratory of molecular diagnostics and infections has been launched in the central research institute of epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor

In January 2022, a laboratory for molecular diagnostics and epidemiology of respiratory tract infections was opened at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, whose head was appointed Svetlana Yatsyshina. Prior to this, she led the scientific group for the development of new methods for diagnosing ARI (NG RNMD ARI). More details here.

Molecular Oncology

Molecular oncology is one of the most active areas of molecular diagnostics, which, according to scientists, is on the verge of revolutionary discoveries. Scientists around the world are working to create tests for the early diagnosis of cancer, which will radically change the quality of treatment for patients.

A modern approach in molecular diagnosis of cancer is based on DNK sequencing, which makes it possible to recognize cancer cells in a patient's blood test. Now this method allows us to determine only the disease that has already developed, but a number of world companies have already announced that they have learned to "catch" one cancer cell in 10 ml of blood (test tube).

Another area of ​ ​ application of molecular diagnostics is the development of personalized research for the treatment of cancer patients. By analyzing tumor cells for mutations and resistance to therapy, a doctor can select drugs that are as effective and safe as possible for each individual patient.

An equally important direction is the screening of healthy people for genetic predisposition to cancer. It is known that in 10-20% of cases, cancer is hereditary. First of all, breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, family predisposition to melanoma, lung and rectal cancer is also detected.

2021: Russian scientists have created molecular thermometers to fight cancer

Ultra-sensitive molecular thermometers for medicine created rossiysko-Finnish a team of scientists with the participation of specialists of the National Research Technological University MISiS (NITU MISiS). According to the authors, the development will increase the accuracy and effectiveness of therapy for various tumors. This was announced to NITU MISiS by Zdrav.Expert on March 25, 2021. More details here.

Medical genetics

Scientists claim that in the coming years they will be able to create a kind of genetic passport of a person that will prevent the risk of developing certain diseases, taking into account the individual characteristics of a person and his interaction with environmental factors.

Through genetic research, it has become possible to identify mutations of a particular gene (or their totality) not only to prevent the risk of developing the disease, but also to plan the birth of healthy children. Genetic tests on the mother's blood make it possible to detect chromosomal disorders of the fetus already in the first weeks of pregnancy, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis when performing IVF protects the child from a specific mutation that could be transferred to him from his parents.

Currently, Russian scientists are actively working to study the possibilities of molecular diagnostics in the prevention of multifactor diseases.

This principle applies to other multifactorial diseases. By identifying the genetically determined risks of developing the disease, doctors will be able to warn the patient about the necessary preventive measures and what negative factors should be eliminated from his life.

Laboratory analysis using molecular genetics technologies

Pharmacogenetics allows you to diagnose individual causes of atypical patient reactions to treatment. It is possible to identify the genetic features of a person, on the basis of which special doses and treatment regimens are selected. This allows eliminating side effects from therapy, resistance to the drug, etc. Forensic medicine and forensic science use molecular diagnostic techniques daily in their work. To date, no crime, plane crash or other emergency incident is deciphered without molecular diagnostic methods.

Genetic analysis of agricultural plants is the most popular method for detecting false components or complex fakes of food products in the food industry, which is carried out by DNA sequencing.

Veterinary medicine uses molecular diagnostic methods to select animals according to genetic markers, which is necessary for the production of offspring with valuable agricultural characteristics, as well as for the diagnosis of infectious diseases of animals.