Author:
Callewaert Chris,Pezavant Maria,Vandaele Rony,Meeus Bart,Vankrunkelsven Ellen,Van Goethem Phaedra,Plumacker Alain,Misset Benoit,Darcis Gilles,Piret Sonia,De Vleeschouwer Lander,Staelens Frank,Van Varenbergh Kristel,Tombeur Sofie,Ottevaere Anouck,Montag Ilke,Vandecandelaere Patricia,Jonckheere Stijn,Vandekerckhove Linos,Tobback Els,Wieers Gregoire,Marot Jean-Christophe,Anseeuw Kurt,D’Hoore Leen,Tuyls Sebastiaan,De Tavernier Brecht,Catteeuw Julie,Lotfi Ali,Melnik Alexey,Aksenov Alexander,Grandjean Dominique,Stevens Miguel,Gasthuys Frank,Guyot Hugues
Abstract
Detection dogs were trained to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection based on armpit sweat odor. Sweat samples were collected using cotton pads under the armpits of negative and positive human patients, confirmed by qPCR, for periods of 15–30 min. Multiple hospitals and organizations throughout Belgium participated in this study. The sweat samples were stored at −20°C prior to being used for training purposes. Six dogs were trained under controlled atmosphere conditions for 2–3 months. After training, a 7-day validation period was conducted to assess the dogs’ performances. The detection dogs exhibited an overall sensitivity of 81%, specificity of 98%, and an accuracy of 95%. After validation, training continued for 3 months, during which the dogs’ performances remained the same. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis revealed a unique sweat scent associated with SARS-CoV-2 positive sweat samples. This scent consisted of a wide variety of volatiles, including breakdown compounds of antiviral fatty acids, skin proteins and neurotransmitters/hormones. An acceptability survey conducted in Belgium demonstrated an overall high acceptability and enthusiasm toward the use of detection dogs for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Compared to qPCR and previous canine studies, the detection dogs have good performances in detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans, using frozen sweat samples from the armpits. As a result, they can be used as an accurate pre-screening tool in various field settings alongside the PCR test.