A Science and Technology Blog
While the low sensitivity of rapid antigen tests arises from not isolating the viral RNA from the swab samples and amplification of the DNA before detection, the two indigenously developed tests follow these two vital steps, the reason why the sensitivity and specificity are far superior than that of the rapid antigen tests.
In a mass-screening study of 1,924 asymptomatic persons, self-collected saliva samples had sensitivity (92%) and specificity (over 99.9%) comparable to nasopharyngeal specimens — sensitivity 86% and specificity over 99.9%. The…
If speed, low cost and constraints of molecular testing capacity are the reasons why many States have embraced rapid antigen testing, the test has low sensitivity. Yale University’s saliva test,…
A rapid, inexpensive saliva test developed by Yale School of Public Health in partnership with NBA has high sensitivity. The testing protocol has been made available through “open source”. The…
Researchers at the Mumbai-based Tata Memorial Centre have used Raman Spectroscopy to detect RNA viruses present in saliva samples. It is a proof-of-concept study to analyse non-infectious RNA viruses using…
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 can also be present in saliva, according to a study carried out on 12 patients admitted in hospitals. The presence of live virus in saliva was…
If researchers had earlier reported the presence of Zika virus in urine and saliva samples (besides semen, blood and breast milk), a new study has been able to find infectious…
