Detection Dogs as a Help in the Detection of COVID-19

Canine olfactive detection has proven its efficacy in numerous situations (explosives, drugs, bank notes…) including for early diagnosis of human diseases: various cancers, alert of diabetic or epileptic people in immediate alarm of crisis.

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Key information

Conditions

COVID-19 Anosmia Coronaviridae Infections Coronavirus Infections Infections Lung Diseases Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Nidovirales Infections Olfaction Disorders Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pneumonia Pneumonia, Viral RNA Virus Infections Respiratory Tract Diseases Respiratory Tract Infections Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms Virus Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Riadh Boukef

Sahloul, Sousse Governorate, Tunisia

About this study

Fighting such a viral outbreak requires a widespread testing, one of the key measures for tackling the pandemic. In June 2020, facing a decline of COVID-19, it is possible to say that countries that have mastered their outbreak, and were able to maintain the number of infected people low, need to perform fewer test to correctly monitor the outbreak, than those countries where the virus has spread more widely. And for the same reasons, the timing of testing is also crucial. A high rate of testing will be way more effective to slow an outbreak if conducted earlier on, at a time when there is fewer infectious

The aim of this study is to evaluate if the sweat produced by COVID-19 persons (SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive) has a different odour for trained detection dogs than the sweat produced by non COVID-19 persons. The study was conducted on 3 sites, following the same protocol procedures, and involved a total of 18 dogs. A total of 198 armpits sweat samples were obtained from different hospitals. For each involved dog, the acquisition of the specific odour of COVID-19 sweat samples required from one to four hours, with an amount of positive samples sniffing ranging from four to ten.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Due to have a coronavirus swab test in the previous 24 hours
Aged ≥ 18 years
Suspected mild COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19
Written informed consent provided

Exclusion criteria

Aged < 18 years
Written informed consent not provided
Unable or unwilling to put a compresses for at least 4 h

Treatment and study plan

collection of odour samples

Behavioral

Odours will be collected by participants by putting sterile compresses under the armpits for at least 4 h.

Primary outcomes

Sensitivity and specificity precision of dogs to detect people with COVID-19 by their odour.

Time frame: 1 months

The main study is designed to measure the sensitivity and specificity of the dogs to detect participants infected with SARS-CoV-2. Dogs will be trained in K9 dog center for a period of 6-8 weeks to give a behavior response to positive samples. During training the reaction of each dog to a positive sample will be observed (i.e. standing, sitting or lying down) and this indicating behaviour reinforced by rewarding the dog. The dog's diagnostic accuracy will then be determined in a double-blinded study. Here the trainer and technician using the computer to record the results of the study are blinded to the identity of each sample until the trainer calls the final decision (positive or negative) based on the response of the dog to the sample.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Hôpital Universitaire Sahloul

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Canine Olfactory Detection and Its Relevance for the Medical Identification of Patients With COVID-19

Acronym: COVDOG

Important dates

Study start: 2021
Primary completion: 2021
Study completion: 2021
First posted: Jan 25, 2022
Registry last updated: Apr 10, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed