Infolinks




Do you think that these are the best solution?




The Many Benefits Of Using ELISA Kits

By Harriet Porter


Medical science is advancing in leaps and bounds. New treatments, drugs and procedures are introduced regularly. One of the main areas of studies remains the development of new tests that will help physicians to diagnose diseases quicker. The earlier a condition is diagnosed the bigger the chance that it can be treated successfully. ELISA kits have done much to make the diagnosis of several conditions both easier and quicker.

Also known as enzyme immunoassay, or EIA for short, this laboratory technique is used to measure the concentration of antibodies or antigens in a solution, normally a blood sample. The ability to determine these concentrations is extremely important in the diagnostic process. Among the main advantages of this technique, when compared with others, is that it is very easy to carry out and a large number of tests can be processed simultaneously.

The presence of antigens or antibodies, or both, in the body is a clear sign of disease. This is because antigens are known as harmful substances. The body is able to detect the presence of antigens and it then immediately start producing antibodies to fight the antigens. It is therefore logical to assume that the presence of either substance indicates the presence of disease.

There is no need to stress about this type of test. Patients are required to provide a small blood sample. This sample is then added to a petri dish that contains antigens typical to the condition for which the patient is tested. If the blood sample combines with the antigen, antibodies are present and this confirms the diagnosis. The amount of antibodies is determined by carefully adding enzymes to the sample.

The EIA test provides a wealth of information, even when administered in its simplest form. However, more complex techniques can provide even better results. Different formats, or kits, are used for the different forms of the test. For example, in the direct EIA test the antigen is coated with a multiwall plate. The antibody can only detect it if the latter has been conjugated with an enzyme.

Another important variant of EIA is the indirect test. In this case two stages are engineered by covering the antigens in polystyrene plates. This is done to achieve increased sensitivity. Antibodies are introduced in primary and secondary stages. The test can produce multiple results which means that is saves cost and time. In many cases this test, which is more elaborate, eliminate the need for more tests.

In the case of yet another type of EIA test, the sandwich test, pairs of antibodies are tested. The first antibody is covered with a polystyrene plate. The next antibody is then added in order to determine the concentration of the analyte. This is a complicated procedure but it is extremely accurate and flexible.

Nobody will deny the fact that one of the most important components of medical treatment is the ability to diagnose diseases. The earlier it is done the easier it is to treat and the better the prognosis will be. EIA offers hope to patients and it enables physicians to offer better chances.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment