One of the most important ways to stop the spread of the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is to provide rapid, reliable, and inexpensive on-site diagnostic tests.
European scientists have now developed a single-use antigen test that can provide first evidence of COVID-19 infection on the front line in just 15 minutes.
Institutions that come into contact with COVID-19 sufferers often lack the time and material to carry out demanding and time-consuming tests.
When first contacting a patient with a potential COVID-19 disease, it is unclear how contagious the individual is.
A new antigen test can give an initial assessment of this within 15 minutes.
The test was recently presented in the renowned journal “Frontiers in Medicine”.
Similar to a pregnancy test, a new COVID-19 antigen test provides a first indication of an infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus within only 15 minutes.
This allows an initial assessment to be made quickly of how infectious a person is at the time of the test.
The test could become an important tool for healthcare workers to properly deal with potential COVID-19 sufferers to better protect themselves and others from further transmission.
No quick diagnosis available for COVID-19
What can the new Corona Virus Rapid Test do?
Almost four million infections and around 270.
According to Johns Hopkins University, 000 deaths worldwide can now be attributed to the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (status: 08.
May 2020).
The real figure will be significantly higher.
A major problem in the pandemic is still the diagnosis of the new pathogen.
The currently available tests are complex and can take several days to evaluate.
SARS-CoV-2 detection in just 15 minutes
“Detection of viral infections in patients visiting primary care centers would enable medical personnel to quickly identify new outbreaks and establish quarantine measures for patients with high viral thrust and / or suspected cases to limit the spread of the epidemic,” they write Authors of the current study.
The antigen test looks for proteins on the surface of the virus.
The procedure is reminiscent of a pregnancy test.
A nasopharyngeal smear is carried out on the person to be tested.
The body fluid thus obtained is brought into contact with the test strip.
There are antibodies on the test strip that respond to the virus when it is present.
Coris BioConcept used findings from previous virological research on SARS-CoV-1, which was responsible for the SARS outbreak in 2002 and 2003, to produce the new test.
The two viruses are very similar, so the test cannot differentiate between SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2.
In other words, the test was able to detect COVID-19 infection in about six out of ten people.
In those with a higher viral load, around seven out of ten infections could be identified.
The researchers showed on samples from more than 300 people affected by COVID-19 that the test works.
However, it cannot guarantee absolute security.
In 57.6 percent of all cases, the test correctly indicated that a person was infected with SARS-CoV-2.
The more infectious a person was, the sooner the test worked.
If a person was not infected with SARS-CoV-2, this was correctly recognized in 99.5 percent of the cases.
Important NOTE:
This article contains general information only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment.
He can not substitute a visit at the doctor.
Due to the high degree of inaccuracy, the antigen test cannot be used as an independent test, but must be used as part of a more comprehensive test strategy.
Nevertheless, the test is superior to all other tests in terms of speed, cost and implementation and offers quick decision-making aid.
In particular, countries with low and middle incomes where only a few laboratories are available could benefit from the test, the researchers sum up.
(vb)
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