German Clinical Trials Register

Acronym/abbreviation of the study

We smell Covid-19!

URL of the study

No Entry

Brief summary in lay language

Droplet infections represent one of the most important modes of transmission of infectious diseases and play a major role, particularly in indoor environments. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues spreading, early and real-time identification of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals is important to break chains of infection. Rapid tests will help identify infected individuals before entering high-risk areas, thus helping to contain the spread of the pandemic. We have established the electronic nose and the ion mobility spectrometer coupled to multicapillary columns (MCC/IMS) as potential non-invasive diagnostic tools for the early detection of pathogens and their diseases in medicine. Both devices are able to detect so-called volatile organic compounds (VOC) which are generated during respiratory infections. The currently established methods create new possibilities in the fast, non-invasive diagnosis of respiratory tract infections based on VOCs in a variety of human samples. The risk-free application of the electronic nose and the MCC/IMS which is performed without any additional burden for the patient, increases its attractiveness for a multitude of medical questions.

Brief summary in scientific language

Epidemics and pandemics are in most cases caused by pathogens transmitted by droplet infection. Despite the possibility of vaccination, these diseases can lead to great damage. Novel mutations of SARS-CoV2 may alter transmission risk, disease progression, vaccine protection, and trigger new pandemic outbreaks. In particular, indoor settings where large numbers of people congregate, such as hospitals, schools, kindergartens, movie theaters, or public transit, provide an ideal environment for the transmission of droplet infections and aerosol spreading. Rapid tests are designed to detect infected individuals before they enter high-risk areas, thereby helping to contain the spread of the pandemic. However, conventional rapid antigen tests can be false-negative due to their limited sensitivity and specificity, are time-consuming and costly, and are particularly inconvenient for children and people with limited ability to cooperate (e.g., disabled people). Therefore, a rapid, non-contact diagnostic tool is urgently needed. Every infection triggers a characteristic inflammatory reaction and the production of typical soluble inflammatory mediators which are emitted as a particular smell consisting of numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Cyranose® 320 electronic nose is able to detect VOCs by means of several biopolymer sensors, and the ion mobility spectrometer coupled to multicapillary columns also enables VOC-analysis. Based on these detected substances, it is possible to determine so-called "smellprints", similar to a fingerprint within a few minutes. Based on our preliminary work, this study aims to establish Cyranose® 320 and the MCC/IMS as new time- and cost-efficient as well as non-invasive methods for the detection of droplet infections and aerosol transmission, especially SARS-CoV-2. We aim to transform and to complement traditional time-intensive screening with a real-time and low-contact diagnostic tool. Thus, we determine smellprints of biosamples of exhaled air, saliva, sputum and sweat of children and compare them to the results of SARS-CoV-2-PCR and rapid antigen tests. The goal is to establish the electronic nose and the MCC/IMS as a non-invasive screening method and the use as a simple and rapid entrance test for areas with high numbers of visitors and vulnerable areas.