Noninvasive skin swab samples may be enough to detect the novel coronavirus quickly by looking at what the virus does to us, rather than looking for the virus itself, according to a study published in the Lancet E Clinical Medicine journal.
The most widely used approach to testing for Covid-19 requires an uncomfortable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which involves taking a swab of the back of the throat or far inside the nose.
Researchers collected skin samples from hospitalized patients and found that patients with a positive COVID-19 test had lower lipid levels — or dyslipidemia — than their counterparts with a negative test.
"Sebum sampling is a simple, noninvasive method that shows promise for both diagnostics and monitoring of the disease in both a health care and a non-healthcare setting," said George Evetts, consultant in anesthesia and intensive care medicine at Frimley Park Hospital.
SOURCE: Healthworld.com March 16, 2021