On the 21st of October 2020, the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) initiated the implementation of a Research Project/Programme aiming at the molecular detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in samples coming from volunteers-employees who show no symptoms of an active infection. The target of the research programme is to act as an additional epidemic testing tool for the transmission of the infection, intensifying the sense of safety among the employees in their working environment.
The Project is part of the research protocol of the Collection of Hyperimmune Plasma from COVID-19 patients (Ministry of Health, 7th Public Healthcare Office of Crete, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Number of Protocol Modification:13458).
For the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, RNA extracted from saliva samples is combined with the LAMP isothermal nucleic acid amplification method and is simultaneously analysed with the use of the IRIS instrument or the ΑΒΙ real-time PCR system.
