bubbler: RNA-based breath test developed by scientists to detect Covid-19
WASHINGTON: Investigators have reported on the design and testing of a breathalyzer, known as the Bubbler that relies on viral RNA detection to diagnose SARS-CoV-2. Its name is derived from the bubbling sound that occurs when the patient exhales into the device. The findings were published in a new study in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, published by Elsevier. The Bubbler not only reverse transcribes RNA from airborne virus particles into DNA to be tested via PCR but can also barcode that DNA, allowing samples to be linked directly to the patient they have come from 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 stabilizing a sample, potentially allowing the assay to be performed at home. "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 ...