In spite of all-out efforts being made on war footing by governments across the world, the coronavirus spread does not seem to subside. On the other hand, there is a potential shortage of nasal swabs to collect samples for coronavirus testing. Therefore, researchers are forced to adopt alternative measures to handle the menace, as per reports, as per the reports is September 2020. The 3D-printed nasal swab is one such alternative. A clinical trial published is the journal clinical infections diseases, has shown nasal swabs to be effective and safe for testing Covid-19. The 3D-printed nasal swabs work well; there are no safety hazards, except only a few instances of slight nasal bleeding. Therefore, they can be used as the standard commercial nasal swabs. Their trial began in late March at Tampa General Health (Florida), Northwell Health (NY), and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Philadelphia). Other sites also joined later.
The cost of materials per 3D-printed nasal swab ranges from 26 to 46 cents; whereas commercial swabs cost about US$1 each.
A nasal swab, also called a nasopharyngeal culture, is a test that check for the presence of viruses and bacteria that cause respiratory infections. It is conducted by taking a sample of cells from the nasopharynx, i.e., uppermost part of the nose and throat. Since respiratory infections are of many types, a nasal swab helps is diagnosing the type of infection one has and thus determine which treatment would be best.
Generally, the test is conducted to diagnose respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), whooping cough, meningitis, and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), besides the flu and Covid-19.
More information: RSV is a common and usually mild respiratory infection, but it can be dangerous to young babies as well as older adults. Whooping cough is a bacterial infection, which causes severe fits of coughing and difficulty in breathing. Meningitis is caused by inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. As for MRSA, it is a serious type of bacterial infection, which can be quite difficult to treat.
Courtesy: medlinelus.gov