Almost instantaneously, dogs trained to sniff out signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection can indicate positive samples with greater than 90 percent accuracy, according to two preliminary studies published this month. Although such rapid results won’t replace the tried-and-true PCR test to confirm an infection, pups could offer “a suitable method for mass screening,” James Logan, an infectious disease researcher at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine who coauthored one of the studies, tells the
Logan and his colleagues trained Asher, Kyp, Lexi, Marlow, Millie, and Tala to alert their handlers when they caught the scent of a SARS-CoV-2 infection on clothing that came from an infected person. According to
Sniffer dogs show 88% accuracy in detecting Covid: UK study Tuesday, May 25, 2021 IWK Bureau
Sniffer dogs can help prevent the spread of Coronavirus by detecting SARS-CoV2, the virus behind Covid-19, according to a study, which found that the canines can be 88 per cent accurate in sniffing the virus, the media reported.
The study, involving scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Durham University, believe the dog screening, followed by swab testing, will pick up 91 per cent of infections, the BBC reported on Monday.
While even the quickest Covid tests take 15 minutes to show a result, the dogs can sniff out the disease in seconds. This means that two dogs can together screen 300 people in half an hour, researchers said.
Last modified on Tue 25 May 2021 00.10 EDT
Scientists are warning that the UK has entered a crucial couple of months as the race between vaccination and the spread of the India variant heats up.
The variant, first detected in India and called B.1.617.2 has been flourishing in parts of the UK, particularly in north-west England, while cases of the so-called Kent variant have fallen.
Scientists have warned that while overall case numbers of the Indian variant are low, the coming months will be crucial in determining how the situation develops.
“I think we need to be taking this seriously … all outbreaks start with low numbers of cases, it is what happens next that matters,” said Adam Kucharski, an associate professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and member of the modelling sub-group of Sage.