Background:
Molecular diagnosis outside laboratory set up is very difficult especially in agriculture sector. Detection of diseases particularly in crops is mostly based on visual observation of symptoms which require skill, are laborious and many a times results are ambiguous. In case of animal or human, detection based on visual symptoms is also ambiguous and many a times require detailed biochemical tests. With the advent of molecular diagnostics, it is now possible to detect the infecting pathogens accurately within a short span of time. However, the platforms available for detection of the pathogens outside laboratory set up are very limited. Isothermal amplification has been widely used for detection of animal and food borne pathogens and has enormous potential to be used for detection of plant pathogens too. Implementation of isothermal amplification for any pathogen will ideally require a heating device which can be a water bath or a thermal cycler under laboratory conditions. However, such equipment’s are not possible to carry to the fields or outside lab and hence some portable device is needed to implement the isothermal amplifications outside the laboratory set up.:
Technology Details:
The present invention attempted to develop a low-cost portable device to be used in field conditions or outside laboratory set up. It is a compact electronic device with temperature control system which can heat water to a desired temperature and maintain optimum reaction conditions for performing isothermal amplification reactions outside laboratory conditions. Isothermal amplification reactions (40-70°C) can be completed within 30-60 minutes under field conditions using the device. It is cheap as the whole assembly costs only about Rs. 300. This device was developed keeping in mind all agricultural and allied sectors where molecular diagnosis is needed to accurately detect any pathogen.