key: cord-0735961-o53f2v19
authors: Adekanmbi, Adejoke Joan; Olude, Matthew Ayokunle
title: An alternate Prospect in Detecting Pre and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Carriers through Odor Differentiation by HeroRATs.
date: 2020-12-26
journal: J Vet Behav
DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2020.12.001
sha: 66b0238414ded06132de1929aa8dd288eea24948
doc_id: 735961
cord_uid: o53f2v19

A cheap, ubiquitous, sensitive, rapid, non-invasive means of screening large numbers of pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic samples at departure or arrival into ports of countries, high-risk areas and within communities. The widely used diagnostic test for the SARS-CoV 2 is the real-time reverse transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) assay while antibody-based techniques are being introduced as supplemental tools but the lack of specialized nucleic acid extraction and amplification laboratories hampers/slows down timely large scale testing. The use of animals with sensitive olfactory cue as an alternate testing model could serve as an alternative to detect COVID-19 in the saliva of carriers. The African giant rats (AGR) is highly versatile and detects odorant molecules from carriers of pathogens with high percentage success after few months of training hence can be taught to detect odour differences of COVID-19 in asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals. If these trained, could help to curtail further spread of COVID infections.

The global research on the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (nSARS-CoV 2) infectious disease, also called COVID-19 surges on. With over 26 million infected 26 people worldwide and a mortality of more than 806 000 people, available evidence indicates that 27 transmission is mostly through asymptomatic carriers who come in close contact with the The need for extensive testing in the war against this invisible enemy cannot be overstated (Di countries as against several other countries with low testing capacity and poor data (CDC, 43 2020). It is obvious that the infrastructure that comply completely with WHO guidelines to 44 detect and report SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) are lacking across many parts of the globe 45 (Giri and Diyya, 2020) This is because of low domestic capacity for manufacturing diagnostic 46 test kits and heavy dependence on imports from manufacturers that are exporting their products to economically powerful nations (Peplow, 2020). 

WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard: World Health Organization

The Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research encourages submission of multi-author papers and those with acknowledgments that accurately reflect help received in the preparation of the manuscript or in the research and analysis.Because of ethical issues raised by recent scientific debate, we wish for the authors to note that we do not accept papers that have "courtesy" authorships, nor those where acknowledgments do not accurately reflect contributions. The following are not acceptable:» Submission of the same paper to more than one journal while a decision from another journal on that same paper is still pending Repetitive (Redundant) submission » Reporting the same results or methodologies in somewhat different form Improper authorship » Crediting individuals who did NOT provide a substantive contribution to the research and the analysis presented in the paper » Lack of credit to individuals who DID provide a substantive contribution Lack of conflict of interest disclosure Failure to adhere to methodologies consistent with guidelines that may involve the treatment, consent, or privacy of research or testing subjects To ensure that these requirements are understood and met, we ask that the senior author sign below and upload the signed statement to EES along with the manuscript and any other material, and that they provide us with the e-mail addresses of all other authors and anyone named in the acknowledgments.We thank you for your understanding of and compliance with this necessary detail.Sincerely, Karen L. Overall Editor-in-Chief I am the senior author and understand and will comply with the above policy. Name: Adejoke J Adekanmbi Signature: AJA Date: 10 TH October, 2020 e-mail addresses of coauthors: e-mail addresses of those mentioned in the acknowledgments