No throat or throat swab required: New types of "corona spitting tests" bring quick results - and are more pleasant than their alternatives.
Put a tube under the tongue and the corona test is over: Among other things, a product from France makes testing quick and easy.
Other forms of the spit test are also currently being tested.
Find out here how the test procedures work and why they could make it easier for cultural sites such as cinemas and concert halls to reopen soon.
PCR test, rapid antigen test to antibody test: many people no longer look through when it comes to the detection options for coronaviruses.
Briefly explained: PCR tests are carried out for direct detection of pathogens through a throat and / or nose swab *.
In a rapid antigen test, a sample from a nasal or throat swab is applied to a test strip.
As the Federal Ministry of Health informs, the protein components of the virus react with the test strip and a discoloration is visible on it if the coronavirus is present in the sample.
Antibody tests, on the other hand, show that the infection has already passed if the body has already produced antibodies against the pathogen.
Corona saliva tests, also known as "spit tests", are relatively new.
On December 27, 2020, Südwestrundfunk reported on a globally unique corona saliva test from France, which delivers a result within 40 minutes.
A tube is placed under the tongue to collect saliva.
After just under three quarters of an hour, you can read the result, according to David Halter:
yellow stands for corona-positive, orange for negative.
Halter works for Firalis, a company based in Alsace that produces the "EasyCov" saliva test.
The product was developed by a team from the national center for science research, as informed by SWR.
According to the manufacturer Firalis, around one million tests are currently being produced per month, and in February it should be five million.
Because of the low error rate of the test, the simple application and the quick results, "EasyCov" should be especially suitable for use in
schools, universities, concert halls and other cultural sites
.
Antigen-sputum test from China: Experts doubt the reliability of the results
Other "spit tests" are also used around the world.
For example, a new antigen-sputum test from China has been used for weeks at the test center at Weeze Airport in North Rhine-Westphalia.
“In contrast to a swab test using chopsticks, this test procedure is easier and more pleasant.
This lowering of the inhibition threshold is in the sense of the test strategy and the protection of the population and infection ”, quoted the picture Stefan Ripkens, head of the test center.
As part of the test, sputum, not saliva, is examined for coronaviruses.
Sputum is the secretion in the deep throat that can be extracted by coughing.
The new antigen-sputum test from China is viewed critically by experts, according to Bild, neutral studies on its effectiveness are lacking
.
Virologist Prof. Dr.
Bodo Plachter of the University of Mainz raises concerns that sputum can contain a lot of virus, but usually only people with symptoms produce sputum.
"Those who do not produce sputum will only be able to release saliva," he explains.
Saliva could also contain virus, but the result could not be classified as really safe.
(jg)
*
Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editorial network
.
More sources: https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/ministerium/meldung/2020/faq-antigen-schnelltests.html
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