Clinical Applications of Polymerase Chain Reaction PCR Technology 1998.12.30

Clinical Applications of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Technology 1998.12.30

In 1985, American scientist Mullis first developed a nucleic acid DNA amplification technique that simulates the natural DNA replication process in vitro. Essentially, this technique is a cell-free cloning method that can rapidly amplify extremely trace amounts of genetic material by millions of times, thereby achieving positive detection. This technology is now widely used in clinical and basic medical testing; PCR can also be referred to as monoclonal technology. It can detect hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, and G, as well as HIV, epidemic hemorrhagic fever, rabies, and other viruses; it can also detect mycoplasma, chlamydia, fungi, bacteria, protozoa, etc.; and it is also applied in tumor monitoring and forensic identification. Therefore, this technique is more sensitive than the previous reverse hemagglutination assay, enzyme-linked immunoassay, and radioimmunoassay. However, due to its excessive sensitivity, China's cloning technology is still in its early stages, with inadequate equipment and insufficient technical expertise, resulting in a high rate of false positives. Thus, its use has been temporarily suspended and will only be officially resumed after rectification.