You can now bid goodbye to the annoying sensation of swabs in the nose and mouth, snot dripping out of your nose, and rapid blood tests. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a Skin Patch Test to detect COVID 19.
The Skin Patch Test will not only reduce discomfort but will also enable public health officials in controlling the outbreak by providing results in just three minutes.
This article details what is Skin Patch Test and how it will detect COVID 19.
Skin Patch Test to detect COVID 19
The patch sensor developed by researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, uses the age-old patch test method to detect COVID 19. Patch tests are where a patch of your skin is tested for allergies.
This patch sensor has the potential to make the COVID-19 test rapid, painless and economical.
How does the Skin Patch Test work?
The Skin Patch sensor contains porous microneedles that painlessly extract fluids from the skin surface. This dermal interstitial fluid is a rich and accessible source of protein biomarkers, including antibodies for its test process.
It also has a paper-based immunoassay, which is used to detect the presence of a virus or antibody in a blood sample. The test detects the presence of specific antibodies that are produced when the body’s immune system responds to an infection of the coronavirus. These antibodies help the human body fight off the virus and recover from an infection.
“Although the antibody levels in interstitial fluid are approximately 15–25% of those in blood, it is feasible to test for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by sampling and testing interstitial fluid.” said Leilei Bao, PhD, a researcher at the Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, in a statement.
Currently, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is detected through RT-PCR (Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) on swab samples collected from the nose and throat. These tests, however, require long detection times, expensive equipment and specialised personnel, making them unfeasible in areas with limited resources.
This skin patch test can immensely help health officials with quick and accurate tests while treating the cases more quickly.
Future goals
The Skin Patch Test is still an ongoing research project and has immense potential. While the goal is to improve people’s lives during the pandemic of COVID-19, researchers believe that their compact anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG biosensor device can have widespread use.
In addition to COVID-19, the researchers claim that the device can be customised to rapidly screen various infectious agents and provide a complementary diagnostic test.
