Using medical-detection dogs to identify people with SARS-CoV-2. [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using medical-detection dogs to identify people with SARS-CoV-2. Phase I. Proof-of-concept studies.
IRAS ID
284221
Contact name
Chelci A Squires
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
CVD1900226, NIHR Reference
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 9 days
Research summary
The purpose of this study is to determine whether trained medical detection dogs are able to detect the presence of Coronavirus (also known as SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) in breath and foot odour samples from adults, aged 20-70, who are not currently showing any symptoms. In phase 1 we have three main objectives. Firstly, we will carry out a study to determine whether trained dogs can identify a distinct odour from people with asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic or prodromal symptomatic infections with SARS-CoV-2; secondly we will assess the variability in detection between individual dogs; thirdly, we will compare odours profiles from asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic or prodromal symptomatics (infected) and uninfected individuals, to illustrate what volatiles the dogs are detecting (and potentially could be used as a basis for developing an electronic detection system.) \nSamples of exhaled breath odour and skin odour will be collected from up to 3,250 adults, in order to acquire samples from approximately 325 SARS-CoV-2-infected adults and 675 uninfected adults. Samples will be divided into two study groups: infected/positive group (asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic or prodromal symptomatic participants positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA) and uninfected/negative group (no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 by real-time RT-PCR). Samples will be allocated to one of three phases of the study. Piloting, training or testing. Numbers here are the minimum sample numbers required to complete tests. If an excess of viral-negative samples are collected, they will be included, augmenting the pool of uninfected/negative samples that can be drawn from in training.\nIf this study demonstrates that the dogs can detect SARS-CoV-2-infected adults and we are able to determine the sensitivity and specificity with a high degree of accuracy (±5%) to allow the value of dogs as a diagnostic tool to be assessed, we will develop a separate protocol for testing the ability of dogs to detect the virus in travellers. An additional study will take place to identify which VOCs are associated with an infection with SARS-CoV-2. This research could lead to the development of a rapid and accurate test for people with SARS-CoV-2 infections, which could be used at ports of entry for detecting infected travellers.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NW/0270
Date of REC Opinion
26 May 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion