To effectively fight the coronavirus, it will be necessary to know quickly and on a large scale who is affected by the virus, and who has possibly protective antibodies.
Two French researchers, Yves germani and Evelyne Bégaud have developed a light answer, easy to use, and whose results are displayed in 15 minutes.
This is a small case similar to a pregnancy test, on which a drop of blood is placed, taken as a simple diabetes check.
Excellent results
This research couple has more than 30 years of experience at the prestigious Institut Pasteur, which they left to create a private company responsible for developing rapid tests for infectious diseases.
Launched into battle in February, they obtained technical support from the CHU de St-Etienne, which compares these tests with the samples from all of its patients treated for severe forms of Covid19.
With 400 tests already carried out to date, the results show more than 97% success … Both on sensitivity: the rate of positive patients well detected, and on specificity: check that a positive patient is indeed affected by Covid19 and not another virus.
The expertise of the CHU de Saint-Etienne
It remains to refine the instructions for use of these tests, the result of which varies according to the course of the disease, and therefore the date of the first symptoms …
But bruno Pozzetto, head of the “infectious agents” department of the CHU of St-Etienne, recognizes two advantages for them: defining a recent Covid infection, and showing the possible presence of antibodies (immunoglobulins G) allowing to think that the tested is in party protected by immunity, after encountering the virus.
6 million tests available quickly
Compliant with CE standards by self-certification, these tests are intended to be performed by the general public by nursing staff, pharmacists, or technicians in analytical laboratories.
Their production has already started, at the rate of 3 million copies per month: a real arms race, in the war against the coronavirus.
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