Researchers at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences have done a study regarding effectiveness of saliva test instead of using nasal swab for detecting coronavirus case. The study provides strengthening to address the detection of virus for curbing the pandemic spread. The study revealed that RNA from saliva can be used for effective detection of Covid-19. This is first of its kind study in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East, a result of cooperation between the university and its strategic partners in the government, private and academic institutions.

The study was done at Al Khawaneej Health Center in Dubai, and was done on 401 adults who for Covid-19 test at the center. Saliva samples were taken from these people along with nasal swab. 50% of these were asymptomatic people. Samples were examined for Coronavirus in Unilabs International Laboratories. The results revealed that the test successfully detected the virus RNA in saliva samples, at 70% sensitivity and a specificity of 95%.

Dr. Abiola Senok, chief investigator of the study and professor of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the College of Medicine at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, lauded the joint efforts of the teams to carry this study, the first one to be approved in UAE by the Emirates Committee for Ethics in Medical Research on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr. Hanan Al-Suwaidi, the co-principal investigator for the study and assistant professor of Family Medicine at the University’s College of Medicine, noted that advantage of using saliva which relieved pressure on the critical health equipment, and was cost effective.  She said, “In the context of the relentless efforts aimed at finding alternatives to the current diagnostic tests, which are the nasal swab, this study shows the ability of saliva to reduce the load on resources and specialists in the health care sector. The nasal swab, which is currently used, requires examination teams to wear personal protective equipment, which creates a great pressure on the resources of protective equipment, especially with the growing demand for examinations. Through the patients collecting the sample themselves, personal protective equipment can be provided for use in other locations.”

Dr. Alawi Sheikh Ali, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College of Medicine said, “We are proud to present a new international Emirati precedent, as the study received great interest and was accepted for publication in a prestigious scientific journal, which embodies the university’s keenness to support the scientific community by sharing knowledge and experiences It would inspire those concerned to reach new solutions and develop effective ways to counter the spread of the virus. The study and its results will be published in Infection and Drug Resistance, one of the leading peer-reviewed scientific journals.”