Zaymiey

🔬 Biology  ·  Biotechnology and its Applications  ·  NEET

A diagnostic advantage of PCR and ELISA over conventional culture methods for detecting a pathogen is that they can:

Answer: Detect very low amounts of pathogen early by amplifying DNA or detecting antigens.

  • A Detect very low amounts of pathogen early by amplifying DNA or detecting antigens
  • B Detect the disease only after obvious clinical symptoms have already appeared
  • C Work only for bacterial diseases
  • D Replace the need for any treatment

Correct answer: A. Detect very low amounts of pathogen early by amplifying DNA or detecting antigens

Explanation: PCR amplifies even a few copies of pathogen DNA and ELISA detects antigens or antibodies, so infections can be detected very early, before the pathogen builds up to symptomatic levels.

Concept context

GM crops, transgenic animals, gene therapy, molecular diagnostics, and bioethics. Frequent 2–3 mark questions in NEET.

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