Dogs can detect COVID-19 infections in urine with the same accuracy as traditional PCR-based virus tests, according to a pilot study by researchers at the University of Helsinki. The dogs, which had previously undergone training as medical diagnosis assistants, were trained to recognize the scent of COVID-19 in urine samples. The researchers found that the dogs could reliably detect SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals after a short training period. The dogs’ accuracy rate was almost on par with traditional virus tests.
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, who also trained dogs to recognize COVID-19, explained that trained dogs can detect even the lowest concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are associated with various diseases such as cancer and bacterial infections. As COVID-19 affects not only the lungs but also the blood vessels, intestines, and kidneys, it is likely that the extensive damage throughout the body affects the scent composition in patients’ urine, making it detectable by dogs.
The University of Helsinki researchers are preparing for a larger study to answer remaining questions before the dogs can be used in clinical settings. The study will use a larger number of patient samples, including those with COVID-19 and other diseases, to investigate whether this affects the dogs’ accuracy. Another study at the University of Pennsylvania is testing whether dogs can detect COVID-19 infections in saliva samples. The potential of these dogs for COVID-19 detection could be significant, according to the researchers.
