The Library
1530 papers on microsampling and monitoring, each with a finding paraphrased to our standard and labelled in one vocabulary. Every entry links to a legitimate copy; nothing is copied from an abstract.
Papers 101–200 of 314 labelled “saliva”, newest first.
2023
Using patient-centric saliva microsampling with the Oragene kit, the study found a low overall prevalence, 13%, of the OPRM1 118G allele in a Western Saudi population, with a significantly higher frequency in females, 21%, than males, 5%. The authors note the findings are specific to this population and may not be generalisable.
Allele frequency and genotype distribution of the opioid receptor μ-1 (OPRM1) A118G polymorphism in the Western Saudi population — Bagher & Hareeri, Journal of applied biomedicine (paywalled)
- saliva
- dna-genotek-oragene
- genotyping
2023
The study found that combining the Oragene saliva collector with the miRNeasy kit gave the most sensitive detection of seven saliva miRNAs, and that different collector-kit combinations can be selected to suit different study needs.
Obtaining miRNA from Saliva-Comparison of Sampling and Purification Methods — Urbizu et al., International journal of molecular sciences
- saliva
- liquid
- dna-genotek-oragene
- validation
- biomarkers
2023
The study found that the Oragene OG-600 receptacle provided the highest concentration of salivary DNA, including short fragments suitable for analysis, and successfully detected HPV DNA from patient saliva. This matters for decentralised sampling as it supports the use of a standardised, self-collection device for non-invasive cancer biomarker detection.
Isolation of salivary cell-free DNA for cancer detection — Brooks et al., PloS one
- dna-genotek-oragene
- hpv
- liquid-biopsy
- liquid
- saliva
- genotyping
2023
Saliva offers a non-invasive specimen matrix for detecting both oral and systemic conditions at the point of care. Although home collection and diagnostic biosensors show strong clinical and economic utility, technical challenges remain in standardisation and device integration before widespread point-of-care adoption.
A Review on Saliva-Based Health Diagnostics: Biomarker Selection and Future Directions — Kumari et al., Biomedical materials & devices
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- biomarkers
2023
In sixteen workers observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, those working from home had higher waking and lower nocturnal melatonin, and higher oxytocin, than office-based colleagues, while cortisol and s-IgA rhythms were unchanged. The study shows that self-collected saliva samples can detect how remote work alters stress-related biomarkers, supporting decentralised occupational-health monitoring.
Differences in the diurnal variation of salivary stress biomarkers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic between telecommuters and office workers — Hasebe et al., Neuro endocrinology letters (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2023
Saliva self-collection for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection showed 81.5% sensitivity and 76.4% specificity against nasopharyngeal swabs in 153 patients. Performance was highest four to seven days after symptom onset, supporting saliva as a viable decentralised diagnostic specimen during the first week of illness.
Use of saliva as an alternative diagnostic method for diagnosis of COVID-19 — Ganie et al., IJID regions
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2023
Toddler saliva cortisol fell from an initial rise back to low levels over three months, matching parents' and caregivers' reports of an easy start when parents were present followed by demanding first weeks of separation and then improved well-being; this concordance supports using self-collected saliva cortisol as a pragmatic, patient-centric biomarker of adaptation during the transition to childcare.
Do toddlers' levels of cortisol and the perceptions of parents and professional caregivers tell the same story about transition from home to childcare? A mixed method study — Drugli et al., Frontiers in psychology
- saliva
- pediatric
- hormones
- cortisol
2023
Antigen rapid diagnostic tests using saliva, nasal and nasopharyngeal samples showed 60% sensitivity and 98% specificity against RT-qPCR in 609 patients with suspected COVID-19. The high specificity and moderate concordance support their role as a decentralised, patient-centric triage tool to identify likely infectious individuals and guide public health measures.
Rapid antigen test as a tool for the identification of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its potential as a self-testing device — Filgueiras et al., Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2023
Twenty dementia caregivers self-collected saliva at home while using a mobile yoga app for twelve weeks. Those who practised most showed decreased salivary cortisol and increased 1,5-anhydroglucitol, indicating that self-collected saliva can track stress responses to decentralised behavioural interventions.
Self-Administered Gentle Yoga and Yoga Breathing Intervention Improves Burden and Stress Biomarkers in Caregivers of Persons Living with Dementia — Balasubramanian et al., International journal of yoga therapy (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- cortisol
- biomarkers
2023
In 880 people who self-collected three saliva samples at home, more than half in each cohort were cortisol awakening non-responders. No association was found between cortisol awakening response and trait resilience, but age, sex, weekday collection and awakening time significantly affected results, revealing compliance challenges for decentralised hormone monitoring.
The relationship between cortisol awakening response and trait resilience in two patient cohorts and one population-based cohort — Linnemann et al., The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2023
The review found that self-collected saliva samples had much lower sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests compared to healthcare worker-collected nasal or nasopharyngeal samples, while specificity remained high across all strategies. This matters for decentralised diagnostics because it highlights that both sample type and collector significantly impact test accuracy in self-testing scenarios, informing protocol design for remote screening programmes.
Performance of different rapid antigen testing strategies for SARS-CoV-2: A living rapid review — Shaver et al., European journal of clinical investigation (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
2023
Mass spectrometry identified SARS-CoV-2 proteins in all self-collected saliva samples from people with COVID-19, while rRT-PCR detected viral RNA in only 57 per cent of the same samples, indicating that proteomic analysis may offer greater sensitivity for diagnosis and monitoring, especially in cases with low viral load.
Identification of SARS-CoV-2 biomarkers in saliva by transcriptomic and proteomics analysis — Marin et al., Clinical proteomics
- saliva
- self-collection
- serology
- biomarkers
2023
In unmedicated major depressive disorder, prefrontal and anterior cingulate 5-HT4 receptor binding positively associated with cortisol awakening response; eight weeks of antidepressant treatment did not alter cortisol awakening response and pretreatment cortisol awakening response did not predict outcome.
Stress Hormone Dynamics Are Coupled to Brain Serotonin 4 Receptor Availability in Unmedicated Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A NeuroPharm Study — Vulpius et al., The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2023
An intensive protocol combining daily at-home saliva collection for ovarian hormones with smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment achieved 85% compliance in 50 female smokers, revealing substantial within- and between-subject heterogeneity in hormone levels, anxiety and nicotine craving. This demonstrates feasibility of decentralised, patient-centric data collection for studying complex comorbidities.
Methodological approach for an integrated female-specific study of anxiety and smoking comorbidity — Farris et al., Frontiers in psychiatry
- saliva
- self-collection
- fertility
- hormones
- digital-biomarker
- multimodal
2023
Canadian dentists self-collected monthly saliva samples over one year during COVID-19. Salivary cortisol levels showed a modest positive association with national COVID-19 case counts, while dentistry-specific anxiety peaked during waves but general anxiety declined, demonstrating feasibility of longitudinal stress monitoring through decentralised sampling.
Salivary Cortisol and Anxiety in Canadian Dentists over 1 Year of COVID-19 — Kolbe et al., Journal of dental research
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2023
Among 667 men who have sex with men who self-collected saliva at home, experiences of sexual behaviour stigma, particularly gossip by healthcare providers, were associated with elevated evening and average daily cortisol. This demonstrates that decentralised saliva microsampling can capture physiological stress responses in hard-to-reach populations, enabling remote psychosocial monitoring.
Predicting salivary cortisol and sexual behavior stigma among MSM in the American Men's Internet Survey 2019 — Dibble et al., Scientific reports
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2023
Nine studies of non-pharmacological interventions in hospitalised children demonstrated reduced anxiety and distress when outcomes were confirmed by salivary cortisol, supporting saliva as an objective stress biomarker in paediatric settings. The authors concluded that higher-quality studies are needed to strengthen the evidence base for saliva cortisol as a reliable anxiety measurement tool.
Investigating Non-Pharmacological Stress Reduction Interventions in Pediatric Patients Confirmed with Salivary Cortisol Levels: A Systematic Review — Grigoropoulou et al., Pediatric reports
- saliva
- pediatric
- cortisol
2023
This study of 184 individuals showed that home collection of dried blood spots and saliva can identify genetic polymorphisms linked to cardiac serum markers. Seven SNPs associated significantly with markers such as Apo B, LDL Direct, and hsCRP, while a polygenic risk score correlated strongly with NT-proBNP (r²=0.82, P=.03) and ox-LDL (r²=0.94, P=.005). These results indicate decentralised genetic sampling could enable early cardiovascular risk assessment and identify patients requiring closer serological monitoring.
Influence of genetic polymorphisms on serum biomarkers of cardiac health — Krishnamurthy et al., Medicine
- blood
- saliva
- dried
- dbs
- self-collection
- genotyping
- biomarkers
2023
The study found that minimally invasive self-sampling at home was acceptable to most families, with saliva and hand sampling well tolerated across all ages and nasal sampling mainly accepted by adults and children over five. This supports the use of decentralised, patient-centric microsampling for long-term community surveillance of microbiota.
Assessing the use of minimally invasive self-sampling at home for long-term monitoring of the microbiota within UK families — Nikolaou et al., Scientific reports
- saliva
- self-collection
- acceptability
- pediatric
- microbiome
2023
This study externally validated salivary pepsin as a noninvasive diagnostic for gastroesophageal reflux disease, with 20 adults self-collecting saliva across fasting, post-prandial and bedtime time points over four days, using endoscopy and wireless pH monitoring as reference standards to determine optimal collection protocols and diagnostic thresholds.
Diagnostic thresholds and optimal collection protocol of salivary pepsin for gastroesophageal reflux disease — Ma et al., Diseases of the esophagus : official journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
2023
The study found that self-collected saliva samples showed high concordance with nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 detection across multiple commercial assays, with 100% agreement in two kits and 93% in the third. This supports saliva as a reliable, patient-centric alternative for decentralised diagnostics, particularly in settings where ease of collection and infection control are priorities.
SARS-CoV-2 Detection via RT-PCR in Matched Saliva and Nasopharyngeal Samples Reveals High Concordance in Different Commercial Assays — de Sousa et al., Diagnostics
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2023
Repeated self-collection of saliva for steroid hormone analysis proved feasible in dementia care dyads over eight weeks, with participants providing a mean of 4.3 to 4.9 morning samples weekly during the first seven weeks, falling to 3.3 in the final week. The music intervention was associated with lower morning cortisol concentrations in caregivers, showing that home-based saliva microsampling can objectively capture intervention effects in decentralised studies.
Assessing stress using repeated saliva concentration of steroid hormones in dementia care dyads: results from a controlled pilot care music intervention — Emami et al., Upsala journal of medical sciences
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2023
The study validated a VAMS based LC-MS/MS assay for perampanel in saliva, demonstrating linear calibration, acceptable accuracy and precision, and stability across storage conditions, and showed clinical applicability in patients with epilepsy, supporting at-home therapeutic drug monitoring.
Therapeutic Salivary Monitoring of Perampanel in Patients with Epilepsy Using a Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling Technique — Palmisani et al., Pharmaceutics
- saliva
- dried
- vams
- neoteryx-mitra
- validation
- tdm
2023
Salivary SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing showed 94.3% accuracy, 96.4% specificity and 89.2% sensitivity when benchmarked against nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs. Combining saliva with standard swabs improved detection by 3.6%, confirming saliva as a practical non-invasive option for decentralised COVID-19 screening.
Salivary SARS-CoV-2 RNA for diagnosis of COVID-19 patients: a systematic revisew and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy — Caixeta et al., The Japanese dental science review
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2023
Latent profile analysis of more than 4000 saliva cortisol samples from children aged two, three-and-a-half, and five years identified three diurnal patterns: a predominant low/regular profile, a low/flat profile, and a high/fluctuating profile associated with home childcare, higher temperamental surgency, and maternal depressive symptoms. The study observed only moderate stability across the three-year follow-up, with half of children moving between groups, and highlights methodological issues in pediatric saliva sampling, supporting decentralised, longitudinal biomarker monitoring in early childhood.
Latent profile analysis of diurnal cortisol patterns at the ages of 2, 3.5, and 5 years: Associations with childcare setting, child individual characteristics, and maternal distress — Tervahartiala et al., Psychoneuroendocrinology (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- pediatric
- hormones
- cortisol
2023
Fecal and oral microbiome samples showed high stability over two years at -80°C, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.70–0.99 for stool and above 0.74 for saliva across most collection methods. Stool collected without additive and saliva collected with Scope mouthwash showed lower stability for some measures, demonstrating that collection method choice affects reliability of stored samples for microbiome analysis in decentralised diagnostics.
Stability of the Fecal and Oral Microbiome over 2 Years at -80°C for Multiple Collection Methods — Zouiouich et al., Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology (paywalled)
- saliva
- stool
- stabilised
- validation
- microbiome
2023
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.
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., ACS sensors
- saliva
- self-collection
2023
Daily at-home nasal antigen tests detected only 44% of infected individuals and missed up to 37% of those with high, presumably infectious viral loads. Using combined nasal-throat specimens rather than nasal swabs alone would significantly improve detection of infectious people in decentralised testing.
Daily SARS-CoV-2 Nasal Antigen Tests Miss Infected and Presumably Infectious People Due to Viral Load Differences among Specimen Types — Viloria Winnett et al., Microbiology spectrum
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2023
EFT and music therapy significantly reduced anxiety and salivary cortisol levels while improving psychological growth and wellbeing in pregnant women following prenatal loss. This demonstrates that saliva sampling can be integrated into decentralised mental health interventions, supporting remote biomarker monitoring in perinatal care.
The effect of emotional freedom technique and music applied to pregnant women who experienced prenatal loss on psychological growth, well-being, and cortisol level: A randomized controlled trial — Okyay & Uçar, Archives of psychiatric nursing (paywalled)
- saliva
- fertility
- hormones
- cortisol
2023
The CandyCollect lollipop-inspired device achieved 100% concordance with commercial oral swabs and spit tubes for detecting salivary bacteria in 14 healthy adults who self-collected samples at home. Among 26 participants surveyed, the device was ranked highest for user preference, and it showed a one-year shelf life at room temperature, indicating potential for decentralised diagnostics and telemedicine applications.
At-Home Saliva Sampling in Healthy Adults Using CandyCollect, a Lollipop-Inspired Device — Tu et al., Analytical chemistry (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- acceptability
2023
This review summarises progress toward integrating automated sample preparation with on-chip nucleic acid amplification for home testing of self-collected blood, urine, saliva and stool specimens. It identifies that user-friendly, combined systems may enable rapid, accurate molecular diagnostics outside central laboratories, which is relevant for decentralised infectious disease screening.
Toward Rapid and Accurate Molecular Diagnostics at Home — Liu & Lee, Advanced materials (paywalled)
- blood
- saliva
- urine
- stool
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2023
Profiling EBV DNA methylation in self-collected saliva distinguished nasopharyngeal carcinoma from controls with 90% sensitivity and 100% specificity by capture sequencing; a q-PCR assay targeting one CpG site achieved 78% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The methylation density fell after therapy and rose with recurrence, confirming that decentralised salivary screening can support both diagnosis and disease monitoring.
Saliva biopsy: Detecting the difference of EBV DNA methylation in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma — Zheng et al., International journal of cancer (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- oncology
- biomarkers
- liquid-biopsy
2023
Electrochemical aptamer biosensors measured glucose and adenosine monophosphate in undiluted saliva with pico- to nanomolar sensitivity and remained reusable for up to seven days after storage. This noninvasive approach could support point-of-care diagnosis and at-home monitoring without the need for blood draws.
Electrochemical Aptamer-Based Biosensors for Measurements in Undiluted Human Saliva — Nguyen et al., ACS sensors (paywalled)
- saliva
- liquid
- self-collection
- validation
- biomarkers
2023
Researchers developed a flexible electrochemical immunosensor with micropyramidal electrodes that detects salivary progesterone and β-estradiol at sub-femtomolar concentrations within minutes. This patient-centric approach enables decentralised, centrifuge-free monitoring of ovarian hormone cycles through simple saliva dilution, offering a practical platform for at-home reproductive health diagnostics.
Tip-Enhanced Sub-Femtomolar Steroid Immunosensing via Micropyramidal Flexible Conducting Polymer Electrodes for At-Home Monitoring of Salivary Sex Hormones — Li et al., ACS nano (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- fertility
- hormones
2023
Daily self-sampling showed SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in saliva and throat swabs rose as many as seven days earlier than in nasal swabs, with extreme differences up to ten to the ninth copies per millilitre between specimen types from the same person at the same timepoint. For decentralised diagnostics, this means single-specimen testing underestimates infectiousness and misses early infection, suggesting combined throat-nasal swabs offer superior clinical sensitivity for detecting pre-infectious and infectious individuals.
Extreme differences in SARS-CoV-2 viral loads among respiratory specimen types during presumed pre-infectious and infectious periods — Viloria Winnett et al., PNAS nexus
- saliva
- self-collection
- serology
2023
First-void urine is established as a reliable self-collected specimen for human papillomavirus screening, triage, and post-vaccination surveillance. The use of specialised collection devices and advanced molecular assays supports the integration of non-invasive sampling into routine cervical cancer prevention strategies.
Testing for Human Papillomaviruses in Urine, Blood, and Oral Specimens: an Update for the Laboratory — Poljak et al., Journal of clinical microbiology
- blood
- saliva
- urine
- first-void
- self-collection
- validation
- hpv
- sti
2022
Saliva collected using the ORAcollect device demonstrated high specificity and negative predictive value for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-PCR, with some positive results suggesting an earlier detection window than nasopharyngeal swabs. Conversely, the evaluated rapid antigen tests showed unacceptably low sensitivity for screening purposes.
Evaluation of Saliva as a Matrix for RT-PCR Analysis and Two Rapid Antigen Tests for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 — De Meyer et al., Viruses
- serology
- dna-genotek-oracollect
- liquid
- validation
- saliva
2022
Pooled RT-qPCR of self-collected saliva from 824 asymptomatic employees identified two SARS-CoV-2 positives; one positive was detectable only by an amplification trend without a Ct value. A survey of 471 participants revealed that most would accept regular screening only if free or low-cost, supporting pooled saliva testing as a rapid, efficient, and inexpensive method for frequent large-scale decentralised screening.
SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR testing of pooled saliva samples: A case study of 824 asymptomatic individuals and a questionnaire survey in Japan — Oba et al., PloS one
- saliva
- self-collection
- acceptability
- serology
2022
A self-collection saliva funnel paired with CRISPR-Cas12a detection achieved 96.86% diagnostic accuracy for SARS-CoV-2 in 578 asymptomatic participants, showing decentralised active case finding is feasible for surveillance in low-resource settings.
COVID-19 active case findings based on self-collected saliva samples with CRISPR-Cas12a detection — Chantaravisoot et al., Experimental biology and medicine (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Self‑collected nasal/oral swabs and saliva showed 77–87 per cent agreement with healthcare worker collection for SARS‑CoV‑2 detection by RT‑PCR, rising to 89 per cent for swabs when viral load was high. This demonstrates that self‑sampling can reliably support early COVID‑19 diagnosis in decentralised settings, reducing burden on healthcare workers.
Diagnostic Performance, Stability, and Usability of Self-Collected Combo Swabs and Saliva for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Diagnosis: A Case-Control Study — Choi et al., Infection & chemotherapy
- saliva
- self-collection
- acceptability
- serology
2022
This validation study demonstrated that pooled ddPCR detected SARS-CoV-2 in groups of 34 samples even when the sole positive specimen had a CT value up to 30. The approach can use saliva collected by patients themselves, which lessens risk to staff, and simple heat extraction cuts reagent costs, supporting decentralised screening programmes.
Practical considerations to establish a validated platform for pooled detection of SARS-CoV-2 by droplet digital PCR — Heckel et al., PloS one
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Self-collected saliva and mid-turbinate nasal swabs showed greater than 95 per cent positive agreement with nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 detection in children when collected within ten days of symptom onset, dropping to 82 per cent for later or asymptomatic cases. This validates less invasive, patient-centric sampling for decentralised diagnostics in pediatric populations.
Comparison of Mid-turbinate Nasal Swabs, Saliva, and Nasopharyngeal Swabs for SARS-CoV-2 Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing in Pediatric Outpatients — Vos et al., Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- pediatric
- serology
2022
Self collected saliva samples showed lower sensitivity (24.4 per cent) than conventional nasopharynx oropharynx swabs for COVID-19 RT-PCR detection, indicating limited utility for decentralised diagnostics without further optimisation.
Conventional Naso-Oropharyngeal Sampling Versus Self-Collected Saliva Samples in COVID-19 Testing — Bidkar et al., Indian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery : official publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
2022
Self-collected saliva on cotton showed substantial agreement with nasopharyngeal sampling for detecting SARS-CoV-2, achieving a kappa of 0.79. This supports decentralised screening in resource-limited settings without requiring trained staff.
Alternative SARS-CoV-2 detection protocol from self-collected saliva for mass diagnosis and epidemiological studies in low-incoming regions — de Oliveira et al., Journal of virological methods
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
In 1580 paired samples from children aged 3–17 years, saliva self-collection detected SARS-CoV-2 with 84.6% sensitivity compared with nasopharyngeal swabs, and identified eight infections missed by swabs alone. This less invasive approach offers a feasible alternative for decentralised diagnosis of COVID-19 in paediatric populations.
Salivary testing for SARS-CoV-2 in the pediatric population: a diagnostic accuracy study — Hua et al., CMAJ open
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- pediatric
- serology
2022
In 45 young adults, pre-pandemic diurnal cortisol output measured from saliva samples predicted the degree of loneliness increase during COVID-19 home confinement, with the relationship moderated by extraversion. This suggests saliva-derived cortisol is a viable biomarker for identifying at-risk individuals in decentralised public health crises monitoring.
Pre-pandemic Psychobiological Features Predict Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Loneliness — Baliyan et al., Frontiers in psychology
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2022
Self-collected saliva showed moderate sensitivity of 84.8% and high specificity of 98.2% for COVID-19 RT-PCR, with higher accuracy in symptomatic individuals. This supports saliva as a convenient, resource-sparing alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs for decentralised infectious-disease screening.
The diagnostic accuracy of RT-PCR from self-collected saliva versus nasopharyngeal sampling: A systematic review and meta-analysis — Kim et al., Saudi medical journal
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Saliva microsampling by self-collection at home, returned by mail without refrigeration, achieved 95.8% sensitivity and 92.4% specificity for anti-spike IgG at 2-4 weeks after PCR diagnosis, matching serum test performance. This patient-centric approach offers a scalable framework for decentralised SARS-CoV-2 serosurveillance, with multiplex testing for endemic coronaviruses to flag samples needing retest.
Saliva-based SARS-CoV-2 serology using at-home collection kits returned via mail — Campbell et al., Scientific reports
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Direct RT-PCR testing of raw saliva by two assays showed strong agreement with nasopharyngeal swab RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection in 615 symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, with 51 of 52 TaqPath-positive saliva samples also positive by a second saliva assay and 49 concordant results against the swab-based reference, supporting saliva self-collection as a scalable, noninvasive alternative for population-scale diagnostic testing.
Clinical Performance of Direct RT-PCR Testing of Raw Saliva for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Individuals — Castillo-Bravo et al., Microbiology spectrum
- saliva
- liquid
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Self-collected saliva swabs showed 84.5% agreement with nasopharyngeal RT-PCR within seven days of symptom onset, and almost 500,000 saliva RT-PCR tests were performed on staff in quarantine hotels with a 0.004% positivity rate, supporting frequent, tolerable surveillance testing in high-risk settings.
Surveillance testing using salivary RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 in managed quarantine facilities in Australia: A laboratory validation and implementation study — Jenney et al., The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Among 1,082 participants, self-collection of saliva and anterior nasal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 testing was highly feasible with near-universal specimen submission, and at least 79% rated the process favourably for ease and comfort. With no clear preference between saliva and nasal swabs, the study supports both as viable options for decentralised infectious disease screening.
Specimen self-collection for SARS-CoV-2 testing: Patient performance and preferences-Atlanta, Georgia, August-October 2020 — O'Laughlin et al., PloS one
- saliva
- self-collection
- acceptability
- serology
2022
A bean extract-based gargle solution for saliva collection, paired with rapid antigen tests, achieved 97.8 per cent sensitivity and 100 per cent specificity for SARS-CoV-2 in patients within six days of illness, matching the performance of RT-PCR on the same gargle specimens and detecting all asymptomatic cases. The method supports noninvasive self-collected COVID-19 screening as an alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs.
Bean Extract-Based Gargle for Efficient Diagnosis of Active COVID-19 Infection Using Rapid Antigen Tests — Kwon et al., Microbiology spectrum
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
2022
The SSf-COVID19 kit using self-collected saliva showed high sensitivity and specificity for detecting SARS-CoV-2, making it a reliable option for decentralised diagnostics. This supports the use of patient-centric microsampling in clinical settings where access to phlebotomy or nasopharyngeal swabbing is limited.
Clinical application of the Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag rapid test device and SSf-COVID19 kit for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection — Oh et al., BMC research notes
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Paired saliva and nasopharyngeal swab samples from 299 individuals in Nigeria showed 67% positive agreement and 97% negative agreement for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR detection, with positive and negative predictive values of 69% and 96% respectively. The findings support drooling saliva as a self-collectable alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs for mass COVID-19 testing, reducing exposure risk and cost while enabling decentralised sampling.
Saliva sample for detection of SARS-CoV-2: A possible alternative for mass testing — Salu et al., PloS one
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Self-collected saliva had lower sensitivity than pharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 RT-PCR and showed only fair agreement, yet it detected additional positive cases and can be used alongside pharyngeal swabs to increase case detection in decentralised settings.
The role of saliva PCR assay in the diagnosis of COVID-19 — Abdollahi et al., Journal of infection in developing countries (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
A national survey of 1,505 US adults found that 34% prioritised testing comfort, preferring saliva over nasal swab, while 20% avoided COVID-19 testing entirely. Offering at-home saliva tests with monetary incentives increased willingness to test among those who initially avoided testing or sought convenience, suggesting that patient-centric design can improve uptake of decentralised diagnostic programmes.
Preferences Toward COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Features: Results From a National Cross-Sectional Survey — Katare et al., American journal of health promotion : AJHP (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- acceptability
2022
Salivary glucocorticoid concentrations were comparable across Salivette Cortisol, passive drool and SalivaBio collection methods, and remained stable for 72 hours at room temperature and 4 degrees Celsius with no significant degradation after repeated freeze-thaw cycles. In children under six years, the SaliPac pacifier swab was well tolerated and collected sufficient saliva for steroid analysis in under four minutes.
Salivary Steroid Collection in Children Under Conditions Replicating Home Sampling — Tonge et al., The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism (paywalled)
- saliva
- liquid
- self-collection
- validation
- acceptability
- pediatric
- hormones
- cortisol
2022
Female night-shift nurses had significantly lower cortisol awakening response and lower cortisol levels 30 minutes after waking compared with day- and evening-shift nurses, and reported greater stress from inability to complete personal tasks. This suggests shift pattern affects HPA axis activity and may inform risk assessment and support for shift workers.
Cortisol Awakening Response and Stress in Female Nurses on Monthly Shift Rotations: A Longitudinal Study — Lin et al., BioMed research international
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2022
A two‑tier decentralised testing strategy using self‑collected saliva pools detected SARS‑CoV‑2 with higher sensitivity than a commercial IVD RT‑qPCR test and enabled identification of asymptomatic cases at lower cost.
RT-qPCR-based tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection in pooled saliva samples for massive population screening to monitor epidemics — Różański et al., Scientific reports
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- economics
- serology
2022
AI analysis of salivary crystallisation patterns from self-collected saliva predicted delivery dates with high accuracy in a small cohort, offering a virtually painless home monitoring option for pregnant women that could support decentralised antenatal care.
AI Aided Analysis on Saliva Crystallization of Pregnant Women for Accurate Estimation of Delivery Date and Fetal Status — Li et al., IEEE journal of biomedical and health informatics (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
2022
Point-of-care salivary osmolarity measurement correlated strongly with first-morning urine specific gravity in hypertensive older adults, and patients on diuretics showed significantly higher values indicating dehydration. This suggests saliva testing could serve as a rapid, noninvasive alternative for hydration screening in community-based, decentralised care.
Point-of-Care Saliva Osmolarity Testing for the Screening of Hydration in Older Adults With Hypertension — Atjo et al., Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (paywalled)
- saliva
- urine
2022
Saliva self-collected by children within minutes of eating showed reduced SARS-CoV-2 detection for over half of foods tested, but a 20-minute waiting period restored accurate results in nearly all cases. This provides evidence that fasting is unnecessary for decentralised viral testing, offering a practical protocol for home collection.
Food for thought: Eating before saliva collection and interference with SARS-CoV-2 detection — Hernandez et al., Journal of medical virology
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- pediatric
- serology
2022
Noninvasive salivary measurements of creatinine, cystatin C and urea, and fingerstick capillary blood testing, can approximate gold‑standard laboratory results for kidney function. This could enable more frequent, home‑based monitoring to detect CKD progression and AKI episodes without the burdens of conventional venepuncture and laboratory processing.
Novel monitoring of renal function and medication levels in saliva and capillary blood of patients with kidney disease — Beshay et al., Current opinion in nephrology and hypertension (paywalled)
- blood
- saliva
- liquid
- capillary
- validation
- venous-agreement
2022
Optimal sleep behaviours at 8 months positively predicted cognitive and language abilities at 14 months in infants. Salivary cortisol analysis also revealed that optimal toddler sleep correlated with higher morning cortisol, linking early sleep patterns to stress axis development.
Infant sleep behaviors relate to their later cognitive and language abilities and morning cortisol stress hormone levels — Hernandez-Reif & Gungordu, Infant behavior & development (paywalled)
- saliva
- pediatric
- hormones
- cortisol
2022
Saliva shows promise as a patient-friendly alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 diagnosis, particularly for decentralised testing, though variability in collection and processing methods affects sensitivity. Standardising protocols could improve reliability and support wider use in decentralised diagnostics.
Saliva as an alternative specimen to nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 diagnosis: Review — McPhillips & MacSharry, Access microbiology
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- acceptability
- serology
2022
Three-quarters of dementia care dyads completed eight weeks of in-home saliva collection for cortisol and DHEA-S, with patients and caregivers producing equally valid samples. This demonstrates that self-administered saliva collection is feasible even among people with cognitive impairment, supporting decentralised stress biomarker monitoring in this population.
The Feasibility and Acceptability of In-Home Saliva Collection for Stress in Persons With Dementia and Their Family Caregivers — Emami et al., Biological research for nursing (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- acceptability
- hormones
- cortisol
2022
Morning self-collection of saliva and nasal swabs produces significantly higher SARS-CoV-2 viral loads than evening collection, which translates to improved detection rates especially for tests of low to moderate analytical sensitivity. This timing strategy offers a simple, low-cost enhancement to diagnostic sensitivity for decentralised and home-based COVID-19 testing.
Morning SARS-CoV-2 Testing Yields Better Detection of Infection Due to Higher Viral Loads in Saliva and Nasal Swabs upon Waking — Viloria Winnett et al., Microbiology spectrum
- saliva
- self-collection
- serology
2022
Saliva-based SARS-CoV-2 testing enables patient self-collection and reduces resource burden compared with swab methods, making it suitable for decentralised surveillance in low- and middle-income countries. The paper identifies a critical gap between demonstrated effectiveness and real-world implementation, calling for targeted research to overcome regulatory and operational barriers.
Saliva-based methods for SARS-CoV-2 testing in low- and middle-income countries — Tan et al., Bulletin of the World Health Organization
- saliva
- self-collection
- serology
2022
Capillary blood self-sampling achieved 98.3% agreement with venous samples for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and 100% for IgA among 60 participants, demonstrating accuracy for vaccine monitoring. Saliva self-collection proved feasible with excellent usability, offering a patient-centric alternative for decentralised immunogenicity assessment.
Self-collection of capillary blood and saliva to determine COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and health professionals — Schmetzer et al., Frontiers in public health
- blood
- saliva
- liquid
- capillary
- self-collection
- validation
- venous-agreement
- acceptability
- serology
2022
An in-house RT-qPCR primer set demonstrated superior sensitivity and specificity for SARS-CoV-2 compared with WHO and CDC primers across sputum, nasopharyngeal and saliva specimens. Sputum provided the highest sensitivity, while self-collected saliva outperformed oropharyngeal samples, supporting specimen choice as a critical factor for accurate decentralised COVID-19 testing.
Accuracy of Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction in COVID-19 Patients — Lawrence Panchali et al., Microbiology spectrum
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Real-time racial discrimination predicted higher next-morning salivary cortisol in healthy Black adults, suggesting everyday discrimination influences HPA axis activity. Self-collection of saliva enabled repeated, decentralised measurement of stress hormones in daily life.
Real-time racial discrimination, affective states, salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase in Black adults — Nam et al., PloS one
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2022
Salivary cortisol profiles measured from self-collected samples were associated with symptom severity and neurobehavioural impairment after mild traumatic brain injury, suggesting salivary cortisol may be a useful biomarker for characterising biological factors that influence outcomes.
Association between Altered Cortisol Profiles and Neurobehavioral Impairment after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in College Students — Villegas et al., Journal of neurotrauma (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- cortisol
- biomarkers
2022
Self-collected saliva and anterior nares swabs showed slightly lower sensitivity than nasopharyngeal swabs but were acceptable alternatives for symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 testing and surveillance, especially with increased sampling frequency in asymptomatic individuals.
Viral RNA Load and Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in Paired Respiratory and Oral Specimens from Symptomatic, Asymptomatic, or Postsymptomatic Individuals — Tallmadge et al., Microbiology spectrum
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
The review found saliva to be a non‑invasive, well‑tolerated specimen for SARS‑CoV‑2 detection that enables home self‑sampling, thereby protecting healthcare workers from exposure. It concluded that salivary diagnostics could offer a rapid, cost‑effective approach for early COVID‑19 screening, but further research is needed to establish reliability.
Salivary diagnostics of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) — Michailidou et al., Oral diseases (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Self-collected saliva tested with a rapid, connected RT-LAMP assay showed 85.9% sensitivity and 99.5% specificity for SARS-CoV-2 compared with RT-qPCR, supporting its use for ambulatory screening and enabling connected reporting to health authorities.
Performances of rapid and connected salivary RT-LAMP diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 infection in ambulatory screening — Schneider et al., Scientific reports
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
In a retrospective cohort, late-night salivary cortisol had 95% sensitivity and 91% specificity, while late-night salivary cortisone had 86% sensitivity and 100% specificity; using an optimal cut-off of 14.5 nmol/L, late-night salivary cortisone achieved 95.2% sensitivity and 100% specificity with an AUC of 0.997, supporting simultaneous measurement of both as first-line screening for suspected Cushing's syndrome, and because saliva collection is non-invasive and can be done at home, it is suitable for patient-centric decentralised diagnostics.
Late-night salivary cortisol and cortisone should be the initial screening test for Cushing's syndrome — Mohamed et al., Endocrine connections
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2022
The online Trier Social Stress Test increased cortisol and alpha amylase, increased arousal and reduced pleasure, with stronger cortisol responses in men and 64 per cent of participants classified as responders, supporting decentralised diagnostics by showing remote saliva sampling can capture stress biomarkers.
Validation of an online version of the trier social stress test in adult men and women — Meier et al., Psychoneuroendocrinology (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- hormones
- cortisol
2022
Self-collected saliva samples detected an extra 12% of SARS-CoV-2 infections that were missed by routine clinician-collected nasopharyngeal swabs, suggesting saliva can improve case finding in contact tracing. Antigen tests agreed well with reference methods only in early symptomatic individuals, indicating that timing and symptom status critically affect test accuracy in decentralised settings.
Limitations of Molecular and Antigen Test Performance for SARS-CoV-2 in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Contacts — Robinson et al., Journal of clinical microbiology
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
In a general population study, self-performed nasal rapid antigen testing demonstrated higher sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 than saliva testing (68.9% versus 46.7%), with both tests showing 99% specificity. The nasal test sensitivity rose to 83.9% when considering viral load thresholds for infectiousness, and participants found both tests easy to perform, supporting decentralised screening strategies while highlighting that saliva-based self-testing is insufficiently reliable for clinical use.
Head-to-head comparison of the accuracy of saliva and nasal rapid antigen SARS-CoV-2 self-testing: cross-sectional study — Schuit et al., BMC medicine
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Saliva testing for SARS-CoV-2 achieved 88% sensitivity and 92% specificity against nasopharyngeal swabbing in a meta-analysis of 16 studies. This level of accuracy supports patient self-collection and decentralised screening in outpatient and community settings.
The diagnostic accuracy of saliva testing for SARS-CoV-2: A systematic review and meta-analysis — Atieh et al., Oral diseases (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2022
Generic saliva self-collection devices enabled safe unsupervised home sampling that yielded adequate quantity and quality for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid gene detection, with stability maintained after temperature cycling to simulate summer and winter shipping. This supports a patient-centric decentralised approach to infectious-disease screening without requiring healthcare professionals.
Evaluation of saliva self-collection devices for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics — Allicock et al., BMC infectious diseases
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- acceptability
- serology
2021
A study found that fecal samples on FOBT cards and RNAlater, and oral samples in Scope mouthwash, remained stable for four days at room temperature, with fecal comparability ICCs ranging from 0.63 to 0.93. These methods support decentralised sampling, though consistent method choice is required as each may introduce modest differences.
Comparison of fecal and oral collection methods for studies of the human microbiota in two Iranian cohorts — Wu et al., BMC microbiology
- saliva
- stool
- stabilised
- microbiome
2021
A Simoa immunoassay detected SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in venous and capillary blood and saliva with 98% negative and 90% positive agreement versus molecular testing across symptomatic, asymptomatic and pre‑symptomatic PCR‑positive individuals in days 1–7; N‑protein levels fell as spike‑IgG rose and correlated with saliva RT‑PCR Ct values and between matched saliva and capillary samples, enabling non‑invasive, swab‑independent sample collection for at‑home or point‑of‑care use.
N-protein presents early in blood, dried blood and saliva during asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection — Shan et al., Nature communications
- blood
- saliva
- liquid
- capillary
- validation
- venous-agreement
- serology
2021
Smaller cortisol awakening responses were linked to greater visual dependence in postural control, showing that home-collected saliva samples can capture biologically meaningful variations in HPA axis activity relevant to neuroendocrine function and balance regulation.
Smaller Cortisol Awakening Responses Are Associated with Greater Visual Dependence in Postural Control — Smyth et al., Healthcare
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2021
WHotLAMP detected SARS-CoV-2 in saliva with sensitivity down to approximately four viral particles per microlitre. The test is inexpensive, requires no toxic chemicals or specialised equipment, and can be performed in point-of-care settings or adapted for home use, enabling frequent screening for outbreak control.
WHotLAMP: A simple, inexpensive, and sensitive molecular test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva — Ng et al., PloS one
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2021
A pilot study in 10 child-parent dyads showed that collecting saliva at clinic and home is feasible, with parent attachment avoidance linked to higher parent cortisol in clinic and higher child cortisol at home, and parent-child cortisol levels correlated in clinic but not at home.
Relationship Between Parental Attachment and Stress Elevation and Synchrony in Pediatric Occupational Therapy Patient-Parent Dyads — Scott et al., The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- pediatric
- cortisol
2021
A laboratory-developed RT-PCR test using self-collected saliva specimens achieved 75% sensitivity and 98% specificity compared with nasopharyngeal swab methods for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Saliva samples showed cycle threshold values 4.7 cycles higher than nasopharyngeal specimens, confirming that viral loads are detectable albeit lower, which supports saliva as a viable alternative sample type for decentralised diagnostics.
Performance Accuracy of a Laboratory-Developed Real-Time RT-PCR Method for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Self-Collected Saliva Specimens — Hata et al., Annals of clinical and laboratory science (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
- serology
2021
Children with higher temperamental surgency had greater total diurnal cortisol output, but care setting did not moderate this relationship. The study shows saliva cortisol collection is feasible from toddlers in both home and centre-based environments, supporting decentralised pediatric research designs.
Child Temperament and Total Diurnal Cortisol in Out-of-Home Center-Based Child Care and in At-Home Parental Care — Tervahartiala et al., Child development
- saliva
- self-collection
- pediatric
- hormones
- cortisol
2021
Self-collected saliva sampling in military technicians produced stable post-awakening cortisol parameters across two days, showing the expected rise thirty minutes after waking followed by recovery. Using actigraphy to verify compliance confirms that unsupervised saliva collection in free-living settings delivers reliable data for operational health surveillance of chronically stressed personnel.
Post-awakening Cortisol in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians: A Replication Study in a Novel Population — Hernández et al., Military medicine (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
- actigraphy
- multimodal
2021
The authors implemented a fully remote outpatient trial of hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis in 54 household COVID-19 contacts using self-collected saliva for SARS-CoV-2 RNA PCR testing and a smartphone-based six-lead ECG system for remote cardiac monitoring, with 42 participants completing the study and no serious treatment-related adverse events. The trial numbers were too small to assess prophylactic efficacy, but the experience demonstrates that decentralised enrolment, home diagnostic sampling and remote monitoring can be rapidly deployed in a community health system, while noting that lack of internet access excluded some potential participants.
The future is now: our experience starting a remote clinical trial during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic — Liu et al., Trials
- saliva
- self-collection
- dct
- serology
- rpm
- multimodal
2021
Salivary cortisol was measured over two days in children at 3.5 years; afternoon cortisol was higher on childcare days than home days in the out-of-home group, suggesting afternoons in out-of-home childcare may activate the stress response in young children.
Children's diurnal cortisol output and temperament in two different childcare settings at 2 and 3.5 years of age — Tervahartiala et al., Developmental psychobiology (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- pediatric
- cortisol
2021
Salivary indoxyl sulfate and proteinuria were independent predictors of graft deterioration with an area under the ROC curve of 0.71, supporting their use as non-invasive screening tools in decentralised settings.
Evaluation of Salivary Indoxyl Sulfate with Proteinuria for Predicting Graft Deterioration in Kidney Transplant Recipients — Korytowska et al., Toxins
- saliva
- urine
- self-collection
- biomarkers
2021
In a longitudinal case analysis of repeat sexual trauma, self-collected saliva samples revealed a dysregulated diurnal cortisol profile that tracked with immune suppression and mental health fluctuations. The study highlights the feasibility of incorporating remote self-sampling into sensitive biobehavioural monitoring over time.
The biobehavioral impacts of sexual violence: Findings from an acute repeat survivor of vaginal rape — Anderson et al., Women's health
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
- biomarkers
2021
The study found that disadvantaged children had higher cortisol levels and flatter diurnal rhythms, indicating poorer stress regulation, but higher attachment to childcare providers was linked to decreasing cortisol release over time. This supports the use of saliva microsampling in decentralised studies of stress biomarkers in vulnerable paediatric populations.
Attachment and stress regulation in socioeconomically disadvantaged children: Can public childcare compensate? — Eckstein-Madry et al., Infant mental health journal
- saliva
- pediatric
- cortisol
2021
Maternal choline intake was found to reduce the impact of adverse childhood experiences on maternal and infant cortisol responses, highlighting the role of nutrition in buffering stress biology. This supports decentralised diagnostics by demonstrating the feasibility and value of self-collected saliva samples for longitudinal, patient-centric monitoring of hormonal biomarkers in real-world settings.
The role of maternal nutrition during pregnancy in the intergenerational transmission of childhood adversity — Vaghef-Mehrabani et al., Psychoneuroendocrinology (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2021
In 17 nursing home residents, anterior nasal swabs detected SARS-CoV-2 most often in the first ten days after diagnosis, while saliva and oropharyngeal swabs remained PCR-positive longer (up to 48 days). Only nasal and oropharyngeal specimens yielded replication-competent virus, suggesting saliva's prolonged positivity represents residual RNA, which matters for decentralised testing because using saliva could lead to unnecessary isolation if PCR detection occurs after active viral shedding has ceased.
A Comparison of Less Invasive Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Diagnostic Specimens in Nursing Home Residents-Arkansas, June-August 2020 — Gable et al., Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
- saliva
- validation
- serology
2021
Low-income African American emerging adults showed asymmetrical cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase reactivity to stress that correlated with experiences of racism and interpersonal trauma. Self-collected saliva revealed atypical diurnal cortisol rhythms under daily stress, showing the feasibility of decentralised biomarker monitoring for stress-related health disparities.
Stress response asymmetries in African American emerging adults exposed to chronic social adversity — Wood et al., Stress (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
- biomarkers
2021
Self-collected saliva and anterior nasal swabs detected SARS-CoV-2 with sensitivities of 68% and 59% respectively compared with healthcare worker-collected nasopharyngeal swabs. When samples were taken 3-7 days after symptom onset, sensitivities rose to 85% for saliva and 80% for anterior nasal swabs, showing that timing and patient characteristics significantly influence diagnostic accuracy in decentralised testing.
Effects of Patient Characteristics on Diagnostic Performance of Self-Collected Samples for SARS-CoV-2 Testing — Smith-Jeffcoat et al., Emerging infectious diseases
- saliva
- self-collection
- validation
2021
Salivary cortisol was lower when participants self-collected at home compared with samples taken in the laboratory, and levels fell after music listening in both environments. This demonstrates that home-based saliva collection can capture physiologically relevant changes in stress hormones, which is pertinent for decentralised diagnostic and trial applications.
Psychological and Physiological Signatures of Music Listening in Different Listening Environments-An Exploratory Study — Tervaniemi et al., Brain sciences
- saliva
- self-collection
- hormones
- cortisol
2021
This study found that higher pre-sleep physiological stress, measured via self-collected saliva, was linked to increased cortical arousal during sleep and more consolidated rapid eye movement sleep in adolescents. The results support the use of decentralised sampling and in-home monitoring to investigate physiological interactions in natural sleep environments.
Presleep physiological stress is associated with a higher cortical arousal in sleep and more consolidated REM sleep — Pesonen et al., Stress (paywalled)
- saliva
- self-collection
- pediatric
- actigraphy
- multimodal
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