Rapid, at-home prototype saliva test that's as good as RT-PCR

The SLIDE device analyzes saliva and could help make COVID-19 testing quicker and easier. Credit: Weihua Guan

At-home COVID-19 tests have become an easy way to self-diagnose. But current tests have drawbacks, such as the length of time it takes to get an answer, or how accurately the test can identify a positive case. And most of them require the uncomfortable procedure of sticking a swab up one's nose. Now, researchers reporting inhave developed a SARS-CoV-2 saliva assay and prototype device that combine speed and ease with high sensitivity.

The two main options for at-home COVID-19 testing today are rapid antigen tests and those based on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction . Rapid antigen testing delivers a result directly to the user in about 15 minutes, but it's not very sensitive and can provide a false-negative signal, meaning someone could unknowingly infect others.

Non-invasive saliva-based tests exist, but they also rely on the slow and specialized RT-PCR approach. A similar method called reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification can also detect viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA at a level of specificity and sensitivity consistent with RT-PCR, but it's quicker, cheaper and easier to use.

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