DAVINCI - Development and Validation of a Laminar Flow Test to Diagnose COVID-19 in Saliva

This project addresses the currently crucial needs in the area of validated point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics for use at every level in the population. We developed and validate a simple inexpensive accurate rapid diagnostic test using the easily accessible non-invasive sample specimen saliva and address the much needed necessity of large-scale testing and delineating the extent of seroprevalence and herd immunity in the population. We will evaluate the utility of saliva in COVID-19 patients, contributing to the understanding of IgG/IgM/IgA antibody presence, isotypes and their dynamics in saliva during infection and compare these to antibody profiles in blood. The home-based test design to diagnose COVID-19 incorporates an application for digitalized capture of the test result to rapidly collate diagnoses assigned to geo-location. Importantly, the test and application provide a platform that is easily translated into the real-world and is easily scalable in a local, national and international network to improve health care and public health measures during and beyond the pandemic.

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