What is Dipcovan?

Dipcovan is a Covid-19 antibody detection kit announced by DRDO on May 21, 2021. Here are most important questions & answers about same:

What is Dipcovan?

Dipcovan or DIPAS-VDx COVID 19 IgG Antibody Microwell ELISA is an antibody detection-based kit that be used for sero-surveillance for detecting the presence of Covid antibodies amongst the population.

Which DRDO Lab has developed Dipcovan?

Dipcovan has been developed by the Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), New Delhi in association with Vanguard Diagnostics Pvt Ltd. It was approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in April 2021. It will be commercially launched soon. The kit has a shelf life of 18 months.

How Dipcovan is different?

The Dipcovan kit offers significantly faster turn-around-time because it needs only 75 minutes to conduct antibody test without any cross-reactivity with other diseases. It is capable to detect both spike as well as nucleocapsid (S&N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 virus with high sensitivity of 97 % and specificity of 99%.

What are different tests for Covid-19?

There are three main different types of tests for Covid-19.  The RT PCR test (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) is a molecular test that detects the presence of viral RNA. For RT PCR tests, nasal or throat swab samples are used. It is the most accurate of tests. Antigen tests show result by detecting the viral antigen in the body. Antigens are foreign matters that elicit an immune response in the body. It is a rapid test but it requires confirmation using a molecular test. Antibody tests or serology test screens the body for antibodies produced by the body against the pathogen. This test makes use of blood samples. It can also show whether the test subject was previously infected.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2021