Infrared Based Saliva Screening Test for COVID‐19

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 60; no. 31; pp. 17102 - 17107
• Main Authors: Wood, Bayden R., Kochan, Kamila, Bedolla, Diana E., Salazar‐Quiroz, Natalia, Grimley, Samantha L., Perez‐Guaita, David, Baker, Matthew J., Vongsvivut, Jitraporn, Tobin, Mark J., Bambery, Keith R., Christensen, Dale, Pasricha, Shivani, Eden, Anthony K., Mclean, Aaron, Roy, Supti, Roberts, Jason A., Druce, Julian, Williamson, Deborah A., McAuley, Julie, Catton, Mike, Purcell, Damian F. J., Godfrey, Dale I., Heraud, Philip
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 26.07.2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 diagnostic; Disease control; Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy; Health risks; Infrared spectra; Infrared spectrometers; Infrared spectroscopy; Medical personnel; Model testing; Raman spectroscopy; Risk reduction; Saliva; SARS-CoV-2; Sensitivity analysis; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Spectrum analysis; Synchrotrons; Virions
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202104453

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has resulted in an unprecedented need for diagnostic testing that is critical in controlling the spread of COVID‐19. We propose a portable infrared spectrometer with purpose‐built transflection accessory for rapid point‐of‐care detection of COVID‐19 markers in saliva. Initially, purified virion particles were characterized with Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron infrared (IR) and AFM‐IR. A data set comprising 171 transflection infrared spectra from 29 subjects testing positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 by RT‐qPCR and 28 testing negative, was modeled using Monte Carlo Double Cross Validation with 50 randomized test and model sets. The testing sensitivity was 93 % (27/29) with a specificity of 82 % (23/28) that included positive samples on the limit of detection for RT‐qPCR. Herein, we demonstrate a proof‐of‐concept high throughput infrared COVID‐19 test that is rapid, inexpensive, portable and utilizes sample self‐collection thus minimizing the risk to healthcare workers and ideally suited to mass screening. Using a modified infrared reflection accessory designed for high throughput saliva analysis we show proof of concept of a COVID‐19 point‐of‐care screening device.