Why in news?

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has validated the Quantiplus MTB FAST detection kit, developed by Huwel Lifesciences in Telangana.
• It is an indigenous, open-system real-time PCR assay for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).
• The kit can simultaneously process up to 96 samples, offering scalability for high-throughput testing.

Key features of Quantiplus MTB FAST Detection Kit

• It performs rapid qualitative PCR testing for MTB detection from various sample types including sputum, body fluids (CSF, pleural, ascitic, synovial), pus, menstrual fluid, urine, and tissue.
• The kit contains an advanced formulation with Uracil DNA Glycosylase (UDG/UNG) to prevent PCR carryover contamination and Far-Red Neutralizer (FRN) to improve specificity.
• Diagnostic accuracy was validated in multi-center clinical studies with recorded sensitivity around 86% and specificity around 96% compared to MGIT liquid culture, making it comparable to the Xpert MTB/RIF assay.
• The kit uses a quick extraction-free lysis protocol, improving turnaround time for results.
• It is an open system kit designed for molecular labs with real-time PCR capability.

This kit supports rapid and reliable TB diagnosis, which is crucial for early treatment and control of tuberculosis spread.

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