Self-collected saliva as good as deep nasal swabs for diagnosing COVID-19: Study

In a new development in conducting the Coronavirus tests to detect the virus in any individual, a new study conducted by a nonprofit laboratory and the University of Utah has found out that the self-collected saliva is just as effective as a deep nasal swab for diagnosing COVID-19. The study was published in the journal of 'Clinical Microbiology'. 

The study was conducted by Associated Regional and University Pathologists, Inc. (ARUP Laboratories), a Utah-based nonprofit laboratory located in Salt Lake City. 

Researchers also found that specimens self-collected from the front of the nose are less effective than deep nasal swabs for virus detection. Another research including one from the Yale School of Public Health has suggested similar findings. 

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USFDA approves saliva-based test

The US health watchdog has authorised the emergency use of new and expensive saliva-based laboratory diagnostic test for COVID-19 that could be a game-changer in the diagnosis of the infection as it will enable rapid testing amongst more people easily.

Stephen Hahn, the Food and Drugs Administration Commissioner, said the new saliva test would increase efficiency and avoid shortage of crucial test components like reagents.

“Providing this type of flexibility for processing saliva samples to test for COVID-19 infection is groundbreaking in terms of efficiency and avoiding shortages of crucial test components like reagents,” he said in a statement.

Testing for SARS-CoV-2 has been a major stumbling block in the fight against the pandemic, with long delays and shortages of testing. Some experts have said that up to 4 million tests are needed per day and SalivaDirect provides one pathway toward that goal, the researchers said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has infected 23,057,288 people across the world with the death toll surpassing 800,000 mark.

India has ramped up its testing capacity and has conducted over all 3,59,02,137 tests across the country as on August 23. The testing capacity has increased up to 9 lakh tests a day.

(Image credit: PTI)

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