Discovery of Peptidic Ligands against the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Their Use in the Development of a Highly Sensitive Personal Use Colorimetric COVID-19 Biosensor
Yu et al.
The finding, in our words
A colorimetric biosensor using peptidic ligands immobilised on porous nanofibers detects SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in saliva with low nanomolar sensitivity, achieving performance comparable to some FDA-approved home kits and detecting both the original strain and the Delta variant.
A paraphrase to the Library’s standard, never the abstract. The source is one link away and is always the authority.
Oral sponge saliva RT-PCR achieved 95% sensitivity and 95% specificity compared with nasopharyngeal swabs in 3,488 symptomatic and asymptomatic adults, while buccal swab performance varied with infection history and symptoms. The rapid antigen test showed 66.9% sensitivity overall, increasing to 97% in high viral load samples. Oral sponge collection permits self-sampling without laboratory pre-analytical steps, offering a robust method for decentralised SARS-CoV-2 screening.
Althaus et al., BMC infectious diseases · source ↗
Self-collected saliva specimens yielded high-quality results for SARS-CoV-2 PCR and whole-genome sequencing in an occupational screening programme, with variant determination achieved in 67–83 per cent of positive samples. The study shows that PCR cycle threshold cut-offs critically influence sequencing success, supporting decentralised genomic surveillance for respiratory pathogens.
Schnaubelt et al., Frontiers in public health · source ↗
Saliva-based RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 achieved 100 per cent sensitivity and 97 per cent specificity against nasopharyngeal swabs, while rapid antigen testing on saliva showed comparable performance and detected 97 per cent of infectious cases with cycle threshold values of 30 or below. This supports saliva self-collection as an accurate, practical option for decentralised COVID-19 screening.
Sultana et al., Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease (paywalled) · source ↗
A coffee-ring biosensor detected sepsis, COVID-19 and cancer proteins from self-collected saliva down to 3 pg/ml within 12 minutes, achieving sensitivity more than 100-fold higher than lateral flow assays. The system uses a smartphone camera and AI analysis, providing a rapid, affordable platform for decentralised protein diagnostics.
A do‑it‑yourself incubator enabling LAMP amplification of SARS‑CoV‑2 RNA from self‑collected saliva achieved 100 per cent sensitivity and 87 per cent selectivity in a proof‑of‑concept deployment to more than 15 homes, offering a simple, low cost route to decentralised molecular diagnostics.