The Evolution of the Polymerase Chain Reaction to Diagnose Childhood Infections

• Published in: Pediatric and developmental pathology Vol. 18; no. 6; pp. 495 - 503
• Main Author: Rogers, Beverly Barton
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.11.2015; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Bacterial Infections - diagnosis; Bacterial Infections - genetics; Bacterial Infections - history; Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Diffusion of Innovation; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Viral - genetics; Equipment Design; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques - history; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques - instrumentation; Pathology, Molecular - history; Pathology, Molecular - methods; Pediatrics - history; Pediatrics - methods; Polymerase Chain Reaction - history; Polymerase Chain Reaction - instrumentation; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Predictive Value of Tests; Reproducibility of Results; Virus Diseases - diagnosis; Virus Diseases - genetics; Virus Diseases - history; Virus Diseases - virology; infection; history; PCR; child
• ISSN: 1093-5266; 1615-5742
• DOI: 10.2350/15-05-1643-OA.1

Children's healthcare has evolved over the years, and the pediatric laboratory has contributed to the clinical understanding of childhood disease through the application of new technology and knowledge. This article highlights the evolution of PCR technology to aid in the diagnosis of pediatric infections, from the discovery of the PCR, through the subsequent years when the clinical need exceeded the capability of the technology, until the current day, when application of the PCR is becoming commonplace.