In Viçosa and Rio Paranaíba, laboratories are qualified by Funed to carry out coronavirus tests. Places are waiting for materials to get started.
According to information released this past Thursday (2), by the Minas Gerais State Health Secretariat (SES-MG), the Ezequiel Dias Foundation (Funed) authorized the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) to start carrying out tests for detecting the new coronavirus.
Six laboratories, five on the campus of Viçosa, in Zona da Mata, and another in Rio Paranaíba, in Alto Paranaíba, are among the 19 that were accredited by the State. The sites are waiting for the arrival of the materials to await the arrival of the inputs to start carrying out the tests.
The UFV said that the expectation is that around 200 tests will be carried out daily, with results being released within 48 hours. The authorized test is real-time RT-PCR, which collects a sample of the patient's nose and throat.
Team
Sample analyzes will be carried out by the University on patients with suspected coronavirus in the following locations: At the Laboratory of Ecology and Virus Evolution, coordinated by Professor Francisco Murilo Zerbini (DFP); Laboratory of Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics, on the campus of Rio Paranaíba, coordinated by professors Rubens Pasa, Karine Kavalco and Pedro Ivo Good God. Also at the Animal Immunobiological and Virology Laboratory, coordinated by Professor Abelardo Silva Júnior (DVT); and at the Virus Laboratory, under the coordination of Professor Poliane Alfenas Zerbini (DMB);
According to the researchers, carrying out the tests does not put the UFV at risk, since the collection of materials for examinations is carried out by physicians and also by other health professionals in the care units.
“After collection, before being transported to the laboratory, the sample to be analyzed receives a solution. That destroys the lipid envelope, inactivating the virus”, said Professor Murilo Zerbini.
Not only the tests to detect covid-19 infection in patients, the laboratories also have the structure to carry out the sequencing of the genome of the coronavirus. “This work helps to elucidate questions related to the spread and evolution of this virus. That can support decisions related to measures to contain the epidemic”, said Professor Poliane Zerbini.
