Aptamers as a new approach in detection, diagnosis, and therapy of deadly Viruses

Humans have been battling viruses since before our species had even evolved into its modern form. some viruses are equally deadly, and some that are even deadlier. Accurate and early detection of viruses is often crucial for clinical diagnosis and therapy. Aptamers are the artificial single-stranded DNA, RNA sequences, or peptides that can bind to certain targets with tremendously high specificity. A number of their unique features make them a more effective choice than antibodies. Aptamers are typically generated through Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX) and screened and selected via in vitro process from a library, making it possible to attach to any target molecules. In this review, aptamers were briefly defined and their applications in the rapid detection and diagnosis of some deadly viruses (HIV, Ebola, IVA, IVB, HPV, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and COVID-19) were described.