Direct detection and identification of viruses in saliva using a SpecID ionization modified mass spectrometer.

The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has led to a significant mortality globally and persistent health challenges in many survivors. Early accurate diagnosis, surveillance, identification of cohorts, and prophylaxis are considered essential measures to reduce the spread of infectious viral pathogens s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pierre Alusta, Angel Paredes, Marli Azevedo, Lisa Mullis, Dan Buzatu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316368
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823856837447909376
author Pierre Alusta
Angel Paredes
Marli Azevedo
Lisa Mullis
Dan Buzatu
author_facet Pierre Alusta
Angel Paredes
Marli Azevedo
Lisa Mullis
Dan Buzatu
author_sort Pierre Alusta
collection DOAJ
description The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has led to a significant mortality globally and persistent health challenges in many survivors. Early accurate diagnosis, surveillance, identification of cohorts, and prophylaxis are considered essential measures to reduce the spread of infectious viral pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. A reliable, fast, high-throughput screening method that can detect viral particles and identify the pathogenic virus in infected individuals could help to reduce the spread of the next viral threat through quick knowledge and implementation of appropriate prevention strategies. Since respiratory viruses are typically present in nasal and oral secretions, saliva is a good target for testing for viral infections. Saliva testing has slowly gained popularity in the diagnostics based on biomarkers and other constituents ranging from organic compounds (e.g., food additives), peptides, and even microorganisms. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) remains the gold standard for sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection in biological samples. However, while PCR testing for COVID is sensitive and widely used by hospitals, the method has a false-negative rate of 15-20% and is kit-based necessitating the development of alternative methods of detection that provide higher accuracy. This paper describes the use of a SpecID Mass Spectrometer that can detect the presence of viral particles in saliva at very low levels (<500 virions/0.5 ml). The main goal of this study was to demonstrate that our previously developed, portable, mass spectrometry based method, SpecID, could also be sued for detecting viruses in saliva, including but not limited to SARS-CoV-2; the SpecID method has the potential to provide a reliable solution that overcomes some of the challenges with molecular testing like PCR.
format Article
id doaj-art-842357d84326464cb7032d8b5004c912
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-842357d84326464cb7032d8b5004c9122025-02-12T05:31:06ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01202e031636810.1371/journal.pone.0316368Direct detection and identification of viruses in saliva using a SpecID ionization modified mass spectrometer.Pierre AlustaAngel ParedesMarli AzevedoLisa MullisDan BuzatuThe COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has led to a significant mortality globally and persistent health challenges in many survivors. Early accurate diagnosis, surveillance, identification of cohorts, and prophylaxis are considered essential measures to reduce the spread of infectious viral pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. A reliable, fast, high-throughput screening method that can detect viral particles and identify the pathogenic virus in infected individuals could help to reduce the spread of the next viral threat through quick knowledge and implementation of appropriate prevention strategies. Since respiratory viruses are typically present in nasal and oral secretions, saliva is a good target for testing for viral infections. Saliva testing has slowly gained popularity in the diagnostics based on biomarkers and other constituents ranging from organic compounds (e.g., food additives), peptides, and even microorganisms. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) remains the gold standard for sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection in biological samples. However, while PCR testing for COVID is sensitive and widely used by hospitals, the method has a false-negative rate of 15-20% and is kit-based necessitating the development of alternative methods of detection that provide higher accuracy. This paper describes the use of a SpecID Mass Spectrometer that can detect the presence of viral particles in saliva at very low levels (<500 virions/0.5 ml). The main goal of this study was to demonstrate that our previously developed, portable, mass spectrometry based method, SpecID, could also be sued for detecting viruses in saliva, including but not limited to SARS-CoV-2; the SpecID method has the potential to provide a reliable solution that overcomes some of the challenges with molecular testing like PCR.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316368
spellingShingle Pierre Alusta
Angel Paredes
Marli Azevedo
Lisa Mullis
Dan Buzatu
Direct detection and identification of viruses in saliva using a SpecID ionization modified mass spectrometer.
PLoS ONE
title Direct detection and identification of viruses in saliva using a SpecID ionization modified mass spectrometer.
title_full Direct detection and identification of viruses in saliva using a SpecID ionization modified mass spectrometer.
title_fullStr Direct detection and identification of viruses in saliva using a SpecID ionization modified mass spectrometer.
title_full_unstemmed Direct detection and identification of viruses in saliva using a SpecID ionization modified mass spectrometer.
title_short Direct detection and identification of viruses in saliva using a SpecID ionization modified mass spectrometer.
title_sort direct detection and identification of viruses in saliva using a specid ionization modified mass spectrometer
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316368
work_keys_str_mv AT pierrealusta directdetectionandidentificationofvirusesinsalivausingaspecidionizationmodifiedmassspectrometer
AT angelparedes directdetectionandidentificationofvirusesinsalivausingaspecidionizationmodifiedmassspectrometer
AT marliazevedo directdetectionandidentificationofvirusesinsalivausingaspecidionizationmodifiedmassspectrometer
AT lisamullis directdetectionandidentificationofvirusesinsalivausingaspecidionizationmodifiedmassspectrometer
AT danbuzatu directdetectionandidentificationofvirusesinsalivausingaspecidionizationmodifiedmassspectrometer