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Diagnosing COVID-19 in nasopharyngeal secretion through Raman spectroscopy: a feasibility study
Ana Cristina Castro Goulart1, Renato Amaro Zângaro1,2, Henrique Cunha Carvalho2,3
1Universidade Anhembi Morumbi - UAM, R. Casa do Ator, 275, São Paulo, SP, 04546-001, Brazil.
Lasers in Medical Science
|September 12, 2023
Summary
Raman spectroscopy offers a rapid, label-free method for diagnosing COVID-19 using nasopharyngeal secretions. This technique accurately distinguishes between infected and control samples by analyzing viral proteins and host mucin features.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Spectroscopy
- Infectious Disease Diagnostics
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates rapid and accurate diagnostic tools.
- Raman spectroscopy has shown promise for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in serum.
- Current research explores its application in nasopharyngeal secretions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of Raman spectroscopy for diagnosing COVID-19 from nasopharyngeal secretions.
- To identify spectral biomarkers differentiating COVID-19 positive from negative samples.
- To develop a classification model for COVID-19 detection.
Main Methods:
- Acquired Raman spectra from nasopharyngeal secretions of 15 control and 12 COVID-19 positive individuals.
- Utilized a dispersive Raman spectrometer (830 nm, 350 mW).
- Applied Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) for data analysis.
Main Results:
- PCA identified spectral differences linked to SARS-CoV-2 N and S proteins in COVID-19 samples.
- Control samples showed features associated with mucin components (serine, threonine, proline).
- A PLS-DA model achieved 91% accuracy, 80% sensitivity, and 100% specificity.
Conclusions:
- Raman spectroscopy can effectively differentiate COVID-19 patients from controls using nasopharyngeal secretions.
- The technique shows potential as a rapid, label-free diagnostic method for COVID-19.
- Spectral analysis reveals key viral and host-related biomarkers.
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