The Near East University in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Manisa Celal Bayar University in western Türkiye have developed a PCR diagnostic kit that can detect the hepatitis D virus in its early stages.
The “Hepatitis D Virus Real-Time PCR Diagnostic Kit” aims to fill a gap in diagnostic tools by enabling early and accurate detection of the virus.
Created by researchers at Near East University’s Experimental Health Sciences Research Institute (DESAM) and Manisa Celal Bayar University, the kit has the potential to speed diagnosis and reduce pressure on health care systems.
The hepatitis B virus (HBV), which targets the liver and causes serious infections, spreads through blood, sexual contact and from mother to child during birth. It can cause liver inflammation, and if the immune system cannot fully clear the virus, acute infection may progress to chronic hepatitis, increasing the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The hepatitis D virus (HDV) cannot cause infection on its own. It can only replicate in people infected with HBV. The presence of HDV worsens the course of HBV infection, leading to faster liver damage and a higher risk of cirrhosis. When HBV and HDV co-occur, the disease tends to be more aggressive.
Early diagnosis is critical to controlling liver infection and starting treatment before the disease progresses. That can play a key role in disease management and effective treatment planning.
The new kit will also contribute to public health protection. Results of the project have been shared with the scientific community through international publications.
“This achievement demonstrates the importance of inter-university collaboration and domestic biotechnological production,” said Near East University Rector Tamer Şanlıdağ.
He said the development of the domestic diagnostic kit addresses a significant scientific and social need and highlights the value of local biotech initiatives.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, DESAM’s Kit Production and Genome Analysis Laboratory has developed and prepared diagnostic kits for numerous infectious diseases.
“With its advanced equipment and qualified researchers, our lab has quickly produced PCR kits for detecting SARS-CoV-2, dengue fever, Chikungunya virus, monkeypox, feline infectious peritonitis virus and West Nile virus,” Şanlıdağ said.
