Dogs are pretty good at sniffing out kids with COVID-19
Observational study: A study in which the subject is observed to see if there is a relationship between two or more things (eg: the consumption of diet drinks and obesity). Observational studies cannot prove that one thing causes another, only that they are linked.
Animals: This is a study based on research on whole animals.
Sniffer dogs trained to detect viruses could be a cheaper, more efficient way to screen during times of pandemic, according to international researchers who tested dogs' ability to screen schoolchildren for COVID-19. The team trained medical alert dogs to search for COVID-19 by sniffing the ankles and feet of students. In the lab, the dogs were able to identify samples that did and didn't have COVID-19 above 95% accuracy. In the schools, they were 83% accurate at identifying COVID-19 positive children, and 90% accurate at identifying COVID-19 negative children. The researchers say more work needs to be done to know if dogs could be useful in other pandemic situations.
Journal/conference: JAMA Pediatrics
Link to research (DOI): 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.0489
Organisation/s: California Department of Public Health, USA
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