Saliva test makes Covid detection so much easier

Those who’ve had a PCR test for Covid-19 know just how unpleasant it can be—and unnecessary. Researchers can get just as much information from our saliva.

The results can also be more accurate and using the technique could be a game-changer, especially for people who have a problem performing the standard nasopharyngeal swab.

Saliva tests can be unreliable when blood gets mixed in with the sample, but researchers from Augusta University have been processing samples with a new protocol known as a bead mill homogenizer with excellent results.

Compared with standard samples, the saliva delivered a 100 percent detection rate, compared to just 36 percent from the usual swab.

(Source: Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, 2021; doi: 10.1016/j.jmolds.2021.04.005)

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