- Region
- Águilas
- Alhama de Murcia
- Jumilla
- Lorca
- Los Alcázares
- Mazarrón
- San Javier
-
ALL AREAS & TOWNS
- AREAS
- SOUTH WEST
- MAR MENOR
- MURCIA CITY & CENTRAL
- NORTH & NORTH WEST
- TOWNS
- Abanilla
- Abarán
- Aguilas
- Alamillo
- Alcantarilla
- Aledo
- Alhama de Murcia
- Archena
- Balsicas
- Blanca
- Bolnuevo
- Bullas
- Cañadas del Romero
- Cabo de Palos
- Calasparra
- Camping Bolnuevo
- Campo De Ricote
- Camposol
- Canada De La Lena
- Caravaca de la Cruz
- Cartagena
- Cehegin
- Ceuti
- Cieza
- Condado de Alhama
- Corvera
- Costa Cálida
- Cuevas De Almanzora
- Cuevas de Reyllo
- El Carmoli
- El Mojon
- El Molino (Puerto Lumbreras)
- El Pareton / Cantareros
- El Raso
- El Valle Golf Resort
- Fortuna
- Fuente Alamo
- Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
- Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
- Isla Plana
- Islas Menores & Mar de Cristal
- Jumilla
- La Azohia
- La Charca
- La Manga Club
- La Manga del Mar Menor
- La Pinilla
- La Puebla
- La Torre
- La Torre Golf Resort
- La Unión
- Las Palas
- Las Ramblas
- Las Ramblas Golf
- Las Torres de Cotillas
- Leiva
- Librilla
- Lo Pagan
- Lo Santiago
- Lorca
- Lorquí
- Los Alcázares
- Los Balcones
- Los Belones
- Los Canovas
- Los Nietos
- Los Perez (Tallante)
- Los Urrutias
- Los Ventorrillos
- Mar De Cristal
- Mar Menor
- Mar Menor Golf Resort
- Mazarrón
- Mazarrón Country Club
- Molina de Segura
- Moratalla
- Mula
- Murcia City
- Murcia Property
- Pareton
- Peraleja Golf Resort
- Perin
- Pilar de la Horadada
- Pinar de Campoverde
- Pinoso
- Playa Honda
- Playa Honda / Playa Paraíso
- Pliego
- Portmán
- Pozo Estrecho
- Puerto de Mazarrón
- Puerto Lumbreras
- Puntas De Calnegre
- Region of Murcia
- Ricote
- Roda Golf Resort
- Roldan
- Roldan and Lo Ferro
- San Javier
- San Pedro del Pinatar
- Santiago de la Ribera
- Sierra Espuña
- Sucina
- Tallante
- Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
- Torre Pacheco
- Totana
- What's On Weekly Bulletin
- Yecla
- EDITIONS: Spanish News Today Alicante Today Andalucia Today
article_detail
Date Published: 21/06/2022
ARCHIVED - Dogs beat PCR tests at detecting Covid in asymptomatic patients
The animals sniffed out coronavirus cases 48 hours before a positive PCR test
A dog’s sense of smell can be up to 100,000 times more powerful than that of humans, the very reason trained canines are used to patrol our airports and sniff out luggage for drugs and other counterfeit items.
But a recent study conducted by the National School of Veterinary Medicine in Maisons-Alfort in France has taken this further and established that dogs’ extraordinary senses can be used to detect diseases like coronavirus.
The researchers trained the animals to identify Covid through people's sweat, and the dogs correctly detected 97% of the cases which had been diagnosed through PCR testing. Furthermore, they were able to identify 31 cases of coronavirus from 192 asymptomatic patients who had tested negative in antigen tests.
The findings suggest that dogs can detect Covid cases up to 48 hours before people test positive by PCR.
You might also like: Infections and hospitalisations creep up: Spain Covid update June 20
“This is evidence that dogs could be effective for mass screening efforts in places like airports or concerts and can provide friendly alternatives to test people who are resistant to nasal swabs,” explained Dominique Grandjean, a veterinarian at the National School of Veterinary Medicine of Alfort.
The good news is that dogs like to be given a job to do and particularly enjoy sniffing, so training them to recognise coronavirus was “like a game,” according to the researcher, who said it took between three and six weeks to fully train the animals. This was done by allowing the dogs to sniff cones containing sweat samples from the armpits of volunteers, but face masks also worked well.
While some doctors, scientists and government officials remain sceptical, the results of the study are compelling, and those responsible believe it is not such a huge leap from airport detection to disease recognition.
Also of interest: The dangerous Leishmaniasis disease affects 6 out of 10 dogs in Spain
Image: National School of Veterinary Medicine of Alfort
Loading
Read more about Coronavirus:
OR
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin to get a comprehensive email with all the week’s news for Spain, Murcia, Alicante and Andalucía.
Get a sneak peek – here are a few of our recent Subscription Bulletins:
50% Discount Special Offer subscription:
24.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
Contact Murcia Today: Editorial 966 260 896 /
Office 968 018 268