Researchers at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) have developed a new test technology to assess the diagnosis of covid-19 by saliva using light. The formulation was made by a group from the Bioanalytical and Electrochemistry Laboratory of the teaching institution. Scholars have adopted a technique called electrochemiluminescence among specialists.
Under this technique, an electrical signal is applied to a patient’s saliva. If there is the virus in the person’s saliva, this sign produces a chemical reaction and shows the result in the form of a red light, indicating the diagnosis. If the device used does not light up, the diagnosis is negative.
According to the researchers, it is possible to obtain the diagnostic result within an hour and it has a similar precision to that of the RT-PCR laboratory test. The test indicates the presence or absence of the virus and the viral load. Another advantage pointed out by the authors of the research is the analysis of 20 samples at the same time.
The device used for the test can also be connected to a smartphone. Thus, it “runs” without the need for a specialized technician to communicate the result of the exam performed.
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