Which test are you doing the PCR or the more in depth test rt - PCR TEST I can’t seem to get an answer as to where to get this rt PCR done they don’t call it that . They did a second test on my wife two days ago the swab when way up her nose ,I’m assuming that is what they call the rt PCR is this correct or is it the normal PCR that SXM requires . Confusing to say !
Regarding the terms PCR and RT-PCR, here's what I've been able to glean from some on-line research:
- A "standard" PCR procedure can only detect DNA, not RNA. An RT-PCR test can detect RNA. The RT (reverse transcription) step transcribes the RNA sequence to DNA, which is then amplified and detected in the PCR step.
- The SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19) contains only RNA, not DNA.
- Therefore, the only type of PCR test that can detect SARS-CoV-2 is RT-PCR.
I believe that "PCR" is sometimes used as a shorthand for "RT-PCR", and that creates some confusion. For example, this page from the Cleveland Clinic (
link) only uses the term PCR, whereas this page from the CDC (
link) only mentions RT-PCR.
Dan
