Liver function tests in primary care provide a key opportunity to diagnose and engage patients with hepatitis C.

Since the advent of direct-acting antiviral therapy, the elimination of hepatitis c virus (HCV) as a public health concern is now possible. However, identification of those who remain undiagnosed, and re-engagement of those who are diagnosed but remain untreated, will be essential to achieve this. We examined the extent of HCV infection among individuals undergoing liver function tests (LFT) in primary care.

Can a quantitative assessment of SARS-CoV-2 PCR predict degree of severity and outcomes in critical care patients with COVID-19?

Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the gold standard diagnostic method for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Cycle threshold (Ct) is defined as the number of heating and cooling cycles required during the PCR process. Ct-values are inversely proportional to the amount of target nucleic acid in a sample.

Insight into PCR testing for surgeons.

The most commonly used molecular diagnostic technique is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR detects a short section of genetic code of interest, a cancer gene, human mRNA or a pathogen's genome. It is used by every specialty in medicine and surgery, with increasing frequency and importance.