So today we tested the samples that we had collected from the various health centers the day before. There were 58 samples in all that were being tested for sickle cell. The procedure is a lot more tedious because many of the steps that are done by machines in the US have to be done manually here. Because of this testing all of the samples is virtually an all day process. At the PerkinElmer lab in Pittsburgh they screen over a thousand samples a day for sickle cell but here they can maybe do around 200 samples? Maybe a little bit more. The machines takes about 3-4 minutes to analyze each sample so 20 samples can take 1 hour. With our 58 plus the 11 markers it took about 4 hours plus the 2+ hours in preparing the samples and inputting all the patient information. It was really interesting to see the steps and methods that are taken to prepare samples and analyze them and compare them to the process in the US. Here, Ushma, Tanvi, Riddhima and Dhara are responsible for pretty much every aspect of the entire newborn screening program where in the US each section is handled by various members. The four are also responsible for the prenatal diagnosis program and are routinely called to help with Blood Bank activities as well. In the past two years they have managed to screen close to 5,000 newborns which is a great accomplishment.
The filter paper samples
The stack of samples that had to be entered into both the computer, the analysis machine and hand written into the data book
At the end of the run we had identified two traits among the 58 samples. The samples for the two trait individuals will be tested again to confirm the result.
When we had some breaks in between procedural steps I explained all the material that I had brought with me. I had a lot informational packets from different hospitals and sickle cell centers to show how SCD was explained to parents and children. I also explained the access database that Dr. Krish had for tracking sickle patients that could be used for the Valsad program after some modifications. The program as it stands right now is really great. I think a lot of what I am going to be doing is fine tuning some of the organization and putting everything on paper to create a manual describing the program and the goals and how the group is accomplishing their objectives. Everyone was very receptive to all the material that I had gathered so far and it looks like I am going to have fun working with everyone to put together the manual.
We spent the end of the day starting the procedure to check samples that have tested positive for beta thalassemia to identify which variant is responsible in each case. By the end of the day tomorrow we will have the results and will be able to identify exactly which mutation is responsible in each case.
Ushma and Dhara setting up the membranes for the CRDB procedure
After work Ushma took me to yet another jewelry store so that I can buy even more jewelry. You can never have too much right? Though after this trip I think I'm staying away from jewelry stores for the rest of the trip here. The store we went to today was even better than before and I ended up buying even more stuff but I just couldn't resist. Here's a preview because I just can't put everything that I bought on here:
The ring on the left is for my sister and the one on the right is mine
Ring/Bracelet combo and a Sari hook
The blue bracelets are for Maria and her sister and the gold peacock bracelet is mine
If you want to see more pictures let me know and I'll send them to you because there are waaay too many to post on here.
Ah, interesting. I was going to comment on your last post and ask if there was any way the sites that collect samples could ever do the testing themselves, or whether the process and equipment used was too complicated to have at all the different collection sites, and it sounds like it's the latter. What kind of equipment would they need there to go through samples as fast as in Pittsburgh?
ReplyDeleteA lot of the processes in the States are done using different machines where as here they have to be done manually. Things as simple as punching blood spots into the respective wells are done manually here which is just time consuming when there are machines that do it for you
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