Team develops new COVID-19 antibodydetection method that does not require a blood sample SciReports
The ineffective identification of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals has severely limited the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the high rate of asymptomatic infections has exacerbated this situation. The predominant detection method to date collects samples by swabbing the nose and throat. However, the application of this method is limited by its long detection time , high cost, and requirement for specialized equipment and medical personnel, particularly in resource-limited countries.
Lead author Leilei Bao from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, explains,"To develop a minimally invasive detection assay that would avoid these drawbacks, we explored the idea of sampling and testing the, which is located in the epidermis and dermis layers of human skin.