TrueNat Test

What is the TrueNat TB Test?

TrueNat was originally developed to detect Tuberculosis (TB) in one hour. Both TrueNat Xpert MTB and TrueNat Xpert MTB Plus were used to detect TB. It is a portable, chip-based and battery-operated machine developed by a Goa-based company. The World Health Organisation has approved TrueNat for detecting TB as it is cost-effective and a miniature version of the PCR test.

TruNat test for COVID-19

The Indian Council of Medical Research has recently approved the use of TrueNat devices for conducting covid-19 tests. Moreover, being portable, the devices can be carried to remote places to quickly screen covid 19.

For testing the COVID- 19 virus, the kit was modified by the company. The sample of the throat and the nasal swab is now collected by the trained technicians wearing PPE (personal protective equipment).

The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 does not have DNA, but has an RNA molecule. The RT (reverse transcription) process in the RT-PCR converts the RNA into the DNA molecule before the gene is captured in the test.

TrueNat is a chip-based, battery-operated RT-PCR kit. Earlier, it could only identify the E-gene in the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. E-gene helps the virus build a spherical envelope around it. But the current devices are now equipped to detect the RdRp enzyme found in the virus RNA. Therefore, ICMR has ruled that these tests can be treated as a confirmation for the presence of COVID-19 virus.

Revised Guidelines for TrueNat for Covid-19

There are now 3 types of TrueNat assays available, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

• Assay 1- TrueNat Beta CoV E gene Screening assay.
• Assay2- TrueNat SARS CoV 2 RdRp gene confirmatory assay.
• Assay 3-TrueNat Covid 19 Multiplex assay, which includes a single step that does both screening (E gene) and confirmation (Orf1a). All negative reports are considered true negatives, and all positive reports are considered true positives.