Infectious disease
COVID-19, Flu and RSV – What makes them different?
Written by Victoria Simms, September 28, 2022. Reviewed April 24, 2024. Despite causing similar symptoms, there are key differences between COVID-19, flu and RSV such as the size and structure of the viral genomes as well as the virion proteins. These differences allow us to design tests to distinguish between these viral infections and develop…
Read MoreDetecting multiple respiratory viruses with a single qRT-PCR assay
MARCH 11, 2022. Reviewed May 7, 2024 Why a negative COVID test result doesn’t always give the full picture of viral infection. As some of the symptoms of COVID-19 overlap with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a negative COVID test result doesn’t always give the full picture of infection. Testing for multiple respiratory viruses…
Read MoreTracking the evolution of SARS CoV-2 using whole genome sequencing (WGS)
November 3, 2021. Reviewed by Victoria Simms, April 23, 2024. Why monitoring the evolution of the virus is crucial to public health Viral genome sequencing: the background story Rapid whole viral genome sequencing, decoding a pathogen’s entire genome, is essential to public health organizations and epidemiologists for tracking and surveillance of disease outbreaks. Genomic epidemiologists around the…
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