The latest research on coronavirus testing shows that for the Omikron variant, testing a nasal swab may not be the best method. The researchers suggest that a better solution would be to take samples from the mouth and throat.
- The way in which the virus is tested and quickly detected in the human body has been the subject of research by scientists since the beginning of the pandemic
- In most of the tests performed, a nasal swab is taken as the sample for analysis
- Scientists have also developed tests in which saliva is analyzed
- In the case of the Omikron variant, this is of particular value, because this way an infection can be detected earlier
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«The method traditionally used to diagnose respiratory infections is to analyze a sample from the nose, but the virus first appears in the mouth and throat. This means that the methods we use may not be the best » — said Dr. Donald Milton, a respiratory virus expert at the University of Maryland in the US.
As the Omikron variant spreads around the world, some experts recommend saliva testing to detect the virus early. Some studies suggest that taking a saliva sample or a swab from inside the mouth may help identify people who are infected with the virus days in advance of the results of nasal swab tests. This can be especially important for detecting infections in asymptomatic people and those who have not yet developed an infection.
The virus first appears in saliva
Scientists began saliva testing research in the first months of the pandemic. They wanted to find a testing method that was more convenient and comfortable than deep nasopharyngeal swabs. Now it turns out that it can also be more effective.
Evidence has emerged that the virus tends to appear in saliva before it develops in the nose, suggesting saliva samples may be the best way to detect an infection early. Saliva testing may be appropriate for the Omikron variant, which replicates faster in the upper respiratory tract and has a shorter incubation period than earlier variants.
Ultimately, different methods should be used in different circumstances. Dr. Glen Hansen of the Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minnesota suggested that for people who have had symptoms for several days, nasal swabs may be a good choice, while saliva may be best suited for screening on a large scale in asymptomatic people.
The COVID-19 Real-Time PCR test can be performed at selected drive thru points of the Diagnostics network.
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