Which is an ADVANTAGE of using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to detect pathogens?

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Question focus: evaluating the advantages of using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to detect pathogens.
Option A states that the results are not affected by contamination with other bacteria or viruses. In reality, PCR can be highly sensitive to contamination, leading to false positives, so this is not a reliable advantage.
Option B claims that specialised machines are needed to carry out the tests. While PCR does require specific equipment, presenting this as an advantage is misleading because needing specialized machines is more a resource requirement or limitation rather than a direct benefit to detection capability.
Option C correctly notes that there is no handling of live pathogens and therefore a low risk to laboratory staff. PCR detects nucleic acids rather than culturing organisms, so the work can be done without propagating viable pathogens, reducing biosafety concerns when proper protocols are followed.
Option D states that the pathogen can be cultured for further characterisation. This is inaccurate in the context of PCR: PCR does not culture organisms and cannot provide isolate material for further phenotypic or growth-based analyses.
Option E suggests that the pathogen can be stored for future studies. Storage of the pathogen itself is not an inherent advantage of PCR; PCR deals with genetic material, and whether samples can be stored depends on separate handling and storage practices rather than the PCR technique itself.
Summing up, the standout advantages emphasized by PCR are its ability to detect genetic material without requiring live organisms and its potential to reduce exposure risk, while the other statements either misstate benefits or describe unrelated aspects of laboratory practice.

AGRI20044_2025_SM1 Exam: Microbiology in Agriculture (AGRI20044_2025_SM1)- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

Which is an ADVANTAGE of using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to detect pathogens?

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