Evaluation of Concordance Between Exhaled Air Test (eBAM-CoV) and RT-PCR to Detect SARS-CoV-2

During the COVID-19 pandemic, testing primarily relied on the use of nasopharyngeal swabs to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for the disease. However, this technique has several limitations, including the variable quality of swabs, its invasive nature, and arbitrariness in the choice of the number of cycles. Furthermore, it does not allow for the detection of viral proteins. To overcome these limitations, researchers developed the eBAM-CoV test, patented for the detection of viral proteins in the exhaled air of COVID-19 patients. This portable device provides an immediate assessment of the "viral load" with both quantitative and qualitative results, showing promise for early virus detection. The researchers hypothesize that the eBAM-CoV test is likely to exhibit a satisfactory concordance with the reference RT-PCR test in the detection of COVID-19, especially among symptomatic patients or closed contacts.