Bubbler breathalyser tests for SARS-CoV-2

The Bubbler, described a new study published in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, reverse transcribes RNA from airborne virus particles into DNA to be tested via PCR. According to the report, it also barcodes that DNA, allowing samples to be linked directly to patients and be used for sequencing. It can be used for simultaneous batches of pooled samples and provides additional information such as viral load and strain identity and eliminates the need for stabilising a sample, potentially allowing the test to be performed at home.

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“Involvement of the lower respiratory tract is often a precursor to severe COVID-19, so there is an argument for a more direct sampling focused on exhaled breath,” said lead investigator William G. Fairbrother, PhD, professor in the department of molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry at Brown University in Providence, RI, USA.

Virus detection by the Bubbler is similar to a hospital-swab PCR test but is claimed to be a better measure of risk of contagion as it detects airborne viral particles. Swab tests can return a positive result months after infection as they detect viral RNA fragments in cells that persist in previously infected cells. The Bubbler can also be adapted for environmental sampling in hospitals, transportation hubs, and closed environments, the researchers said in their paper.