Glossary

NAT (nucleic acid amplification test)

NAT (nucleic acid amplification test)

NAT (Nukleinsäure-Amplifikationstest)·Also: PCR, Nukleinsäure-Amplifikationstest

A nucleic acid amplification test detects the genetic material of pathogens by multiplying even the smallest amounts of it. The best-known example is the PCR, which detects viruses or bacteria, for instance, very sensitively.

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Editorial content · as of 9/5/2026