Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection by multicapillary column coupled ion mobility spectrometry (MCC-IMS) of breath. A proof of concept study

There is an urgent need for screening of patients having a communicable viral disease to cut infection chains.

We could recently demonstrate that MCC-IMS of breath is able to identify Influenza-A infected patients. With decreasing Influenza epidemic and upcoming SARS-CoV-2 infections we went on and also analysed patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infections.

75 patients, 34m, 41f, aged 64.4 ± 15.4 years, 14 positive for Influenza-A, 16 positive for SARS-CoV-2, the remaining 44 patients were used as controls. In one patient RT-PCR was highly suspicious of SARS-CoV-2 but initially inconclusive.

Besides RT-PCR analysis of nasopharyngeal swabs all patients underwent MCC-IMS analysis of breath. There was no difference in gender or age according to the groups.

97.3% of the patients could be correctly classified to the respective group by discriminant analysis. Even the inconclusive patient could be mapped to the SARS-CoV-2 group applying the discrimination function.