Ask an Expert with Dan DeMarco - Pathogen PCR Testing
Overview
Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories, Inc. is made up of a network of microbiology labs located all throughout the US to support microbiological testing needs. Each lab has dedicated customer support so you get answers fast. Our Ask an Expert Series showcases our scientists from around the country and answers questions customers frequently ask. Videos are published weekly on all of social media platforms.
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Ask an Expert Series - Topic #17
Why do pathogen tests take days when the detection methods (like PCR) can be completed in just a few hours?
"Detection is only one part of the pathogen testing process and happens to be the quickest. Most of the time comes from the sample preparation and enrichment steps that are required up front. These steps are needed to get the sample into a format compatible with the particular test platform and through amplification via growth/enrichment with enough pathogen that the detection system will see it (if present). The rate limiting factor is how fast we can get the pathogens to grow in the lab, not the speed of the detection system. That is a speed limit set by biology and not by technology." - Dan DeMarco, Ph.D., Director of Science for Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories, Inc.
