According to a new study, trained dogs were able to detect him COVID-19 better than PCR antigen tests in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.
The Guardian reports:
Trained dogs were able to detect Covid in 97% of symptomatic cases and in almost 100% of asymptomatic cases.
The study involved 335 participants from Covid screening centers in Paris. Of the participants, 109 were positive for Covid, while 31 were asymptomatic.
The dogs came from French fire stations but also from the United Arab Emirates, and received education from three to six weeks, depending on whether they were previously trained for detection through smell.
The dogs smelled samples of human sweat placed in cones. When a dog spotted Covid, it was sitting in front of the cone.
Finally, trained dogs appear to be much more sensitive than nasal PCR tests, as they have been able to better detect positive cases.
In two false-positive cases, however, the dogs did not recognize other strains of his respiratory disease coronavirus which was not covid. While there have been previous studies of dogs' ability to detect Covid, this is believed to be the first to compare the accuracy of dogs with antigen tests.
The study was published in Plos One.
