Detection dogs as first line screening method for SARS-CoV-2 infections

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Holger A. Volk

Key area

  • Antiviral strategies: agents and vaccines, antibodies

Who is involved?

  • Prof. Dr. Holger A. Volk (Project leader, TiHo)
  • Dr. Friederike Twele (TiHo)
  • Dr. Claudia Schulz (TiHo)
  • Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Welte (MHH)
  • Prof. Dr. Thomas Illig (MHH)

What is the aim?

Early detection of persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 remains the most important tool to break the chain of infection. Several studies have already demonstrated that dogs have an extraordinary ability to smell to detect individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, with the increasing knowledge about the virus, the diversity and chronicity of disease expression and the increasing number of vaccinated individuals, some questions remain unanswered. A number of hypotheses are being tested to further investigate the use of detection dogs as a screening method for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Which COFONI technology platform is involved?

Publications

  • Discrimination of SARS-CoV-2 Infections From Other Viral Respiratory Infections by Scent Detection Dogs. Ten Hagen NA, Twele F, Meller S, Jendrny P, Schulz C, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, Osterhaus A, Ebbers H, Pink I, Welte T, Manns MP, Illig T, Fathi A, Addo MM, Nitsche A, Puyskens A, Michel J, Krause E, Ehmann R, von Brunn A, Ernst C, Zwirglmaier K, Wölfel R, Nau A, Philipp E, Engels M, Schalke E, Volk HA. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 Nov 18;8:749588. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.749588. PMID: 34869443; PMCID: PMC8636992.
  • Twele, F., ten Hagen, N. A., Meller, S., Schulz, C., Osterhaus, A., Jendrny, P., Ebbers, H., Pink, I., Drick, N., Welte, T., Schalke, E., & Volk, H. A. (2022). Detection of Post-COVID-19 Patients Using Medical Scent Detection Dogs—A Pilot Study. Frontiers in Medicine, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.877259

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