Skin Swabs: The Future COVID-19 Test!

Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : July 21, 2022

Skin swabs are unexpectedly effective in detecting COVID-19 infection. This information is given as per a recent study from the University of Surrey. The University of Surrey opens the door to a non-invasive future for COVID-19 testing.

Skin Swabs Will Be Used For The Future COVID-19 Test

An easy skin swab, according to researchers at the University of Surrey, could be a useful testing technique.

Skin Swabs The Future COVID-19 Test

The University of Surrey researchers have collected sebum. Sebum is an oily, waxy substance. The sebum is produced by the human body’s sebaceous glands. It is created when a person wipes his or her skin. The researchers claim that the precision of their sebum samples surprised them.

The scientists are optimistic that skin swabbing will eventually become the norm for COVID-19 testing. They are using non-invasive swabs from 83 hospitalized patients, some of whom had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Scientists are already aware that COVID-19 can significantly alter the chemical makeup of physiological fluids. This physiological fluid also includes this waxy material. For making this comparison study, the team also collected blood and saliva samples.

Professor Melanie Bailey is the co-author of the training from the University of Surrey. Professor Melanie Bailey stated some details about Covid-19. Melanie Bailey has demonstrated the importance of quick testing for disease surveillance and disease discovery.

In a study by Melanie Bailey, the connections between various biofluids are looked upon. Also, these connections communicate what changes have occurred in one area of the human body and can tell everything about the patient’s general health.

The findings of Melanie Bailey demonstrate that although blood testing is the most reliable method for identifying this COVID- 19 virus. Skin swabs are not far behind in terms of accuracy when testing for this virus. Additionally, in fact, the skin swab results were surprisingly reliable.

It has been discovered by Melanie Bailey that COVID-19 dramatically alters the lipid composition of biofluids like blood or sebum. The lipids are fats and oils. The research team discovered that blood samples scored 0.97. It is with a score of 1.0 and is the most accurate and sensitive. It is after evaluating changes in lipids and other metabolites of the samples. Saliva tests came in at 0.80, followed by skin swab testing at 0.88.

Matt Spick is the Co-author and University of Surrey research student. Matt Spick said that as per the research, “COVID-19 patients’ skin sebum reacts to immune system alterations.” In fact, the disease has the power to change the human body’s natural equilibrium in all biological systems. The biological system includes the skin, digestive health, and others. This can aid in the identification of illness as well as the understanding of illness by giving us a whole-body atlas of a condition.

Professor Debra Skene is the co-author and is the section leader of chronobiology at the University of Surrey. Professor Debra Skene stated the method present in this study. Debra Skene analyzes metabolites in three separate biofluids.

These three biofluids are serum, saliva, and sebum. It should be noted for diagnosis of COVID-19. These blood-based analyses have been outdone. It is a less-invasive analysis like includes the breath, sebum, or saliva. Serum and salivary metabolites were recognized and measured by isotopically labeled internal standards. 

It also includes retention times and multiple reaction monitoring.  It shows promise for separating Covid-19-positive individuals from Covid-19-negative individuals. The prospect of a non-invasive test for COVID-19 has many in society happy.

The majority of people typically view COVID-19 testing that it often requires a swab in the nose and also frequently in the throat. The COVID-19 testing is generally seen by most individuals as intrusive, uncomfortable, and occasionally even painful.


Nikki Attkisson

With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.

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