PCR Applications & Clinical Diagnostics Flashcards

Which PCR-based method is used to quantify viral load in HIV-positive patients to monitor antiretroviral therapy effectiveness?

Answer: Quantitative RT-PCR

Quantitative RT-PCR measures HIV RNA copies per milliliter of plasma, providing clinicians with data to monitor viral suppression during treatment.

In tissue typing for organ transplantation, which PCR-based approach is used to determine HLA compatibility between donor and recipient?

Answer: Sequence-specific primer PCR (PCR-SSP)

PCR-SSP uses primer pairs designed to amplify only specific HLA alleles, enabling rapid and accurate HLA typing for transplant matching.

Which application of digital PCR (dPCR) gives it an advantage over qPCR for rare mutation detection in liquid biopsy samples?

Answer: Absolute quantification without a standard curve

dPCR partitions the reaction into thousands of droplets, allowing absolute quantification of rare mutations without relying on a standard curve, increasing sensitivity for liquid biopsy.

Which PCR technique is used in newborn screening programs in the US to detect mutations causing conditions like spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)?

Answer: Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA)

MLPA uses PCR amplification of ligation products to detect copy number variations and point mutations, making it suitable for newborn screening panels.

In infectious disease surveillance, which PCR approach enables point-of-care testing by completing amplification in under 30 minutes without a thermocycler?

Answer: Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)

LAMP uses a strand-displacing polymerase at a constant temperature, eliminating the need for a thermocycler and enabling rapid point-of-care diagnostic use.

Which PCR-based diagnostic test is used in US clinical labs to differentiate influenza A, influenza B, and RSV in respiratory specimens from a single sample?

Answer: Multiplex real-time RT-PCR panel

Multiplex real-time RT-PCR panels allow simultaneous detection and differentiation of multiple respiratory viruses from one specimen, improving turnaround time and resource efficiency.