Bio-Rad Virus Disease Detection and Transmission

Product Details

Two patients stumble into a hospital with severe symptoms associated with a newly emerging virus. Doctors diagnose the patients and find that one is, in fact, infected with the novel virus. This person had eaten lunch at a local restaurant earlier that day, so public health officials track down others who were also at the restaurant in an effort to determine how the virus spreads.

Based on published viral transmission cases studies, this hands-on lab activity puts your students into the roles of an emergency room (ER) doctor, medical laboratory scientist, epidemiologist, and public health official as they analyze patient samples and use patient information to determine how a novel virus strain spread through a restaurant. In an optional activity, students consider what might need to be done to prevent further spread of the virus.​

Features and Benefits

• Includes four different scenarios for exploring the chain of infection:​
  • Choose between two different viruses: a novel norovirus or a novel coronavirus​
  • Then choose between two different transmission scenarios
• Uses real-world scenarios to explore viral biology, pathophysiology, molecular diagnostic techniques, and epidemiology
• Career highlights introduce students to a variety of opportunities within the life sciences
• No PCR equipment needed — preamplified PCR DNA samples allow you to teach the applications of PCR without requiring a thermal cycler
• Reagents and consumables for 8 lab stations (32 students)

Student Activities

• Explore the chain of infection and the connections between virology, pathophysiology, molecular diagnostics, epidemiology, and public health
• Analyze preamplified PCR patient DNA samples by agarose gel electrophoresis
• Work together to consider a set of class data and model how transmission occurred
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Please note that, though some items may be shipped at ambient temperatures to reduce shipping costs, some items are to be stored refrigerated or frozen upon receipt to ensure longevity. 

Please store some components at 4°C or –20°C as indicated.