Friday, March 29

Saliva tests, more effective in detecting the omicron variant



Since ómicron burst in with its explosion of infections changing the course of the pandemic, a new way of understanding Covid-19 was established with it. Its high degree of transmission has been one of the factors that has led a large part of the citizenry to carry out one or more antigen test in the last weeks. Now, the debate is served with the results thrown by several studies, which show that saliva tests would be the most effective tests to detect this new variant.

One of the most conclusive studies was carried out at the University of Cape Town, in South Africa. It compared the self-diagnosis tests of 382 patients already infected with Covid-19. In those with delta variant, saliva samples detected SARS-CoV-2 71% of the time, while nasal samples did so 100%. Conversely, with omicron-infected patients, saliva samples detected the virus 100% of the time.

For its characteristics, the latest variant of Covid-19 would thus be mostly detectable in antigen tests carried out orally. “Colonization in the oral mucosa is greater in this variant, that is, there is more viral load in the throat area than in other areas”, explains the pharmacist Pablo Garcia.

This man from Malaga, who works in the pharmaceutical industry, assures that these tests have very high reliability and sensitivity. The operation is practically identical to conventional antigens. Both tests include the strip where the result will appear and a solution with a buffer where the sample will be placed. In addition, those of saliva will include a container where to deposit the sample, instead of the famous swab.

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This professional indicates, however, that both tests have a high degree of reliability, as long as they are carried out properly. “The two options continue to be reliable, but it is true that there is a higher percentage of efficacy through the oral mucosa”.

García also warns about the myths that are spreading around this diagnostic test: “All the videos that are being seen now in which orange juice or water is poured onto the strip, this happens because they are very sensitive to the pH variations, it is normal that it gives an erroneous result”. For all these reasons, this expert insists on a correct performance of any type of diagnostic test.

Saliva tests have been available to citizens for some time in all pharmacy. To date, its use has been more limited to testing young children, since it is more comfortable and nasal mucosa tests were more effective in detecting other types of variants.

Now, the sale of these tests is spreading due to the high degree of reliability that they promise. “The purchase of antigens shot up in the wake of christmas but it is true that saliva tests were sold but not at the same level. Now is when we are seeing that sales are increasing,” says Garcia.


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