Omicron detection through rapid tests: New study results show hopeful results

Created: 01/01/2022, 9:15 PM

From: Julia Hanigk

An employee evaluates a corona rapid test.

© Robert Michael / dpa / picture alliance

In a study, the Paul Ehrlich Institute examined the sensitivity of various rapid antigen tests in the Omikron variant.

Most recognized the coronavirus.

Berlin - The omicron variant of the corona virus is spreading rapidly.

France and Great Britain are constantly reporting new record numbers of new infections * under the virus variant.

It has not yet been clarified whether the variant can be identified via rapid tests in Germany.

The Paul Ehrlich Institute has now presented the first study results.

Corona: Most of the antigen tests also detect the omicron variant

The results of the research leave room for hope.

"On the basis of the current data situation, the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) assumes that the vast majority of the antigen tests offered and rated positively in Germany can detect an Omicron infection," it says on the website.

For this purpose, 245 of the so-called antigen tests were examined up to December 14th, 21st.

199 of these passed the PEI test procedure, and most of them were able to prove Omikron.

Cause of the investigation: The vast majority of the tests offered in Germany suggest a protein of the virus that is comparatively little affected by the omicron mutations.

This has "no influence on the reliability of the antigen detection tests," according to the PEI in its report.

The institute also restricts: "For a final, qualitative and quantitative statement, however, further investigations, in particular comparative studies with samples from Omikron-infected people, are required."

Corona: First studies indicated lower test sensitivity

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously announced that preliminary data from a study with live virus patients indicated that “antigen tests detect the omicron variant, but may have reduced sensitivity.” A reduced sensitivity means that fewer infections are actually detected.

A final result is not yet available here.

Sandra Ciesek, Director of the Institute for Medical Virology at the University Hospital Frankfurt am Main, also referred to a preprint for a study from Geneva that examined the sensitivity of rapid tests at Omikron.

She said: “In principle, all of the antigen tests examined were able to detect the omicron variant.

However, some of the tests performed slightly worse with the Omikron variant. "

One reason for the poorer result could be that mutations in the so-called nucleocapsid of the virus influence the rapid antigen test, said Ciesek of the

.

"It should be noted that this study was carried out with cultured viruses from the laboratory and not with smears from patients".

To what extent these results can be transferred is currently still unclear.