The test was 97 per cent accurate for SARS-CoV-2 and 95 per cent accurate for the most prevalent version of the hepatitis C virus found globally, the researchers reported in the journal Cell Reports Medicine.


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The simplified test developed by the University of Florida scientists currently happens in one small test tube, but it could arrive at doctor`s offices soon and, one day, become available as a home test that is as easy as a pregnancy test.


"We are trying to build a home-based test that is as reliable as a lab-based test," said Piyush Jain, Professor of chemical engineering who led the latest research.


"Our objective is to develop a simple test that eliminates the need for expensive equipment and provides results in just 10 to 20 minutes," he added.


Using AI, Jain`s group developed a system known as a one-pot reaction because the entire test happens in one small test tube. These tests, based on a technology known as RT-LAMP, can amplify small portions of a virus`s genome and produce a visible signal when it detects the virus.


Reading these tests can be as simple as looking for a blue colour or using a small device that detects a change in the test tube. To determine the difference between a false positive and a true positive, Jain said he is combining another technology called CRISPR.


However, the RT-LAMP technology requires a temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit, while CRISPR works best at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. That difference makes tests far more complicated requiring two separate reactions -- too complicated for at-home use.


To bridge this gap, Jain`s group turned to AI tools to analyse a CRISPR enzyme that thrives at 140 degrees and discovered changes to make it survive at 150 degrees.


"It`s very challenging for any human to do this kind of analysis on an enzyme. We didn`t have to spend years; we could make these improvements in months," Jain said.


"With everything working at the same temperature, now we can combine everything in a true one-pot reaction we call SPLENDID."


The team successfully verified their simplified SPLENDID test on clinical samples from patients with hepatitis C or Covid-19.


Although it didn`t work well against all other less predominant versions of the hepatitis C virus, straightforward changes to the test should quickly improve its accuracy, Jain said.