Topline
A study by French researchers suggests that trained dogs can detect Covid-19 in patients who have had the virus for as long as a year and half, echoing studies conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany that have found dogs to be effective in sniffing out the virus.
A Bristol County officer and a dog trained to detect Covid-19 named Duke search for signs of the … [+]
Key Facts
According to a preprint of the study, which has not been peer reviewed, trained dogs had an accuracy rate of 51.1% (23 out of 45) with samples of armpit sweat from long-term Covid patients, none of whom had been hospitalized in an intensive care unit, while having no false positives (zero out of 188 control samples).
Covid-19 produces a specific odor as a result of metabolic changes, according to a peer-reviewed study on canine Covid detection published by Florida International University last year.
Florida International University conducted a double-blind study with four trained dogs that showed a 97.5% accuracy in spotting Covid-19 by sniffing people and surfaces.
A study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that dogs showed an 82%-94% success rate in detecting Covid-19, while a study out of Germany found that trained dogs had a 94% accuracy in detecting coronavirus in human saliva.
Key Background
Three school districts in Massachusetts began using trained dogs to detect Covid-19 in classrooms earlier this month. The Bristol County Sheriff’s office worked with Florida International University to train two 14-month-old dogs, Huntah and Duke, CNN reported. The dogs sit down when they smell Covid-19 on the surface of items in classrooms, such as desks and keyboards, CBS Boston reported.
What We Don’t Know
While studies have suggested dogs effectively sniff out Covid-19, the FDA has not approved them as a diagnostic tool.
Further Reading
‘A protective bubble’: Covid-sniffing dogs help scientists – and Metallica – spot infection (Guardian)
COVID Detecting Dogs Begin Working In 3 Massachusetts School Districts (CBS Boston)
Immune system can cause broad damage in COVID-19; dogs can detect coronavirus in people (Reuters)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisakim/2022/01/15/dogs-can-sniff-out-long-covid-19-french-study-suggests/