How to (ab)use a COVID-19 antigen rapid test with soft drinks?

International Journal of Infectious Diseases

Peter G Kremsner¹  Srinivas Reddy Pallerla²  Thirumalaisamy P Velavan³ 

[1] Correspondence: Thirumalaisamy P Velavan, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27 72074 Tübingen, Germany;Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research, VG-CARE, Hanoi, Vietnam;Institute of Tropical Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany;

关键词: RDTs;    SARS-CoV-2;    false-positive;    antigen test;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

With reasonably good specificity and sensitivity, the speed and convenience of COVID-19 antigen tests have led to self-testing in schools, offices, and universities in the European Union (EU). Although self-testing can be beneficial and increase the accessibility to testing, there are potential ways to confound a positive COVID-19 lateral flow test. We observed that all soft drinks, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages (vodka, whiskey, and brandy), commercially bottled mineral water, and carbonated mineral water caused the appearance of a red test line. However, when equal volumes of the buffer and the respective beverages are mixed, there are no false-positive test lines. Deceitful methods may easily lead to misuse of COVID-19 antigen rapid tests and lead to false-positive results; however, this does not prove that these tests are unreliable when performed correctly.

【 授权许可】

Unknown