Toward a COVID-19 breathalyzer for kids

Date:
August 4, 2021
Source:
American Chemical Society
Summary:
Adults infected with SARS-CoV-2 exhale different metabolites
in their breath than uninfected people. Now, researchers have
shown that children infected with SARS-CoV-2 also show breath
metabolite changes, but they're largely different from the ones
in adults. Someday, this information could be used to quickly and
easily screen children for infection, the researchers say.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Adults infected with SARS-CoV-2 exhale different metabolites in their
breath than uninfected people, and dogs and diagnostic devices can detect
these changes. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Infectious Diseases have
shown that children infected with SARS-CoV-2 also show breath metabolite changes, but they're largely different from the ones in adults. Someday,
this information could be used to quickly and easily screen children
for infection, the researchers say.


========================================================================== Currently, COVID-19 is diagnosed through the detection of specific
viral nucleic acids or antigens, but these techniques are slow,
relatively expensive, sometimes uncomfortable and prone to false-negative results. Scientists have observed that dogs can detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in human biological samples and distinguish certain
diseases, including COVID-19.

Researchers have also developed a sensor array to detect COVID-19-related
VOCs in the exhaled breath of adults. Audrey Odom John and colleagues
wondered if children infected with SARS-CoV-2 would also show changes
in breath metabolites. If so, a breathalyzer-type device might someday
quickly and comfortably screen large numbers of children in settings
such as schools.

The researchers collected breath samples from children who were given
routine COVID-19 tests prior to being admitted to the Children's Hospital
of Pennsylvania for other conditions. Fifteen children were SARS-CoV-2 negative, whereas 10 tested positive. The team analyzed 84 VOCs in
the breath samples by 2D gas chromatography and time-of-flight mass spectrometry, identifying six candidate biomarkers that were significantly elevated in the breath of children with COVID-19. Two of these markers
(octanal and heptanal) were also elevated in the breath of adults with
the disease, while the others were unique to infected children. Then,
the researchers measured these VOCs in breath samples from a different
group of 24 children, half of whom were positive for the disease. The
six biomarkers could predict infection with 91% sensitivity and 75% specificity. These preliminary results suggest that breathalyzer
testing could be an inexpensive, noninvasive, quick and sensitive
alternative for the frequent screening of large numbers of children,
the researchers say. Those who test positive could then be given more
specific, nucleic-acid based tests to confirm the screening results.

The authors acknowledge funding from the National Institutes of Health
and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Two of the authors are co-inventors on
a preliminary patent of SARS-CoV-2 biomarkers.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Chemical_Society. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Amalia Z. Berna, Elikplim H. Akaho, Rebecca M. Harris, Morgan
Congdon,
Emilie Korn, Samuel Neher, Mirna M'Farrej, Julianne Burns, Audrey
R. Odom John. Reproducible Breath Metabolite Changes in Children
with SARS-CoV- 2 Infection. ACS Infectious Diseases, 2021; DOI:
10.1021/ acsinfecdis.1c00248 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210804123508.htm

--- up 12 weeks, 5 days, 22 hours, 45 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)