Home Saliva Tests For Covid-19 May Be Coming Soon(2)
Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said: “Some studies have shown that saliva is not as reliable as nasopharyngeal swabs, and some studies have shown that saliva is more reliable than nasopharyngeal swabs." "The true role of the saliva test is still inconclusive. But what we know is that it has potential. It can be a very powerful tool."
Wylie adopted her method of processing saliva samples, adapted it to SARS-CoV-2, and opened the source code for any researcher to use. "As other people...share it, we start to see more and more people use it with more success because they learn how to use it," she said.
Like the PCR test, Salivadirect can also detect the genetic material of the virus. PCR is currently the gold standard method for finding and amplifying SARS-CoV-2 gene traces. However, unlike chemically extracting genetic material from a sample, SalivaDirect relies on an enzyme to heat the sample, which is the same as extracting viral genes. This helps scientists avoid backlogs with agents who are in high demand.
Wylie and her team performed the first version of the saliva test on samples collected from patients and staff at Yale-New Haven Hospital and compared them with standard PCR test results. In a pre-print study published in early August, they showed that the results of the two tests were 97% consistent. They also determined that because the test does not require a special collection tube, and if people collect saliva by themselves, the cost of each test may be as low as $1.29.
These results attracted the attention of the National Basketball Association. When the league planned to establish its own bubble, the association proactively contacted the league and regarded the saliva test as a more regular way to test players and staff. The NBA and Wiley’s team worked together to further refine the test and generate more data, which was finally submitted to the FDA. The league’s health staff have collected nasopharyngeal swabs from players, coaches and staff who joined the NBA Bubble. They have also collected saliva samples so that Willie and her team can compare the results of the two methods. These results indicate that saliva may be a good source for detecting SARS-CoV-2, just like the back of the nose and throat, the unique method involved is also a reliable method for detecting the virus.
