Researchers in Japan have developed a new antibody-based method for the rapid and reliable detection of SARS-CoV-2 that does not require a blood sample. The ineffective identification of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals has severely limited the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the high rate of asymptomatic infections (16-38 per cent) has exacerbated this situation, the researchers said. (See pics: Feeling fatigued post Covid? 5 tips for speedy recovery)One of the methods for the confirmation of COVID-19 infection involves the detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies.
Testing strips based on gold nanoparticles are currently in widespread use for point-of-care testing in many countries.
These tests produce sensitive and reliable results within 10-20 minutes, but they require blood samples collected via a finger prick using a lancing device.
This is painful and increases the risk of infection or cross-contamination, and the used kit components present a potential biohazard risk, the researchers said.
"To develop a minimally invasive detection assay that would avoid these drawbacks, we explored the idea of sampling and testing the interstitial fluid (ISF), which is located in the epidermis and dermis layers of human skin," said Leilei Bao from the University of Tokyo.