In the ever-changing world of medical testing, saliva is making a comeback as a key tool in identifying respiratory diseases. For many years, it was once a well-known method of early scientific research, but its use has been decreasing. However, the advantages of saliva are now being re-appreciated, including its low cost, ease of collection and independence from complex supply processes. This revival was particularly evident during the pandemic in 19009, when saliva was proven to be a practical means of detecting viruses, resulting in the approval of many saliva-based tests. As we look to the future, saliva containing respiratory and immune system components will play an important role in the range of daily medical testing to monitoring disease trends and immune responses after vaccination.
The collective research work of scientists at Yale School of Public Health highlights the transition and is led by Dr. Anne Wyllie and supported by her colleagues, including Dr. Claire Laxton , Dr. Chikondi Peno, Dr. Anne Hahn, Dr. Orchid Allicock. , and Dr. Stephanie Perniciaro, as detailed in his recent study published in Lancet Microbe. Their work delves into the potential of saliva as a non-invasive, accessible and sensitive sample type, opening up new avenues in disease surveillance and patient care.
The team’s investigation revealed the comparability of saliva to traditional respiratory specimens in pathogen detection. In particular, saliva has shown promise in detecting viruses such as a range of viruses, some of which even show higher sensitivity in saliva samples. The simplicity and non-invasiveness of saliva collection makes it an attractive alternative to more conventional approaches, potentially enhancing patient compliance and expanding the scope of community-based testing.
“Average consistency between saliva and swabs is consistently more than 90% among adults from the study,” said Dr. Claire Laxton, who highlighted that saliva is more than just existing SARS-COV-2 test.
The researchers also explored the genome monitoring capabilities of saliva. “Salivary samples provide an easy-to-access and cost-effective medium for genomic monitoring of respiratory pathogens,” said Dr. Chikondi Peno.
Furthermore, the study elucidates the presence of various immune biomarkers in saliva. These markers indicate recent or early infections and play a crucial role in enhancing disease surveillance. The presence of antibodies in saliva provides valuable insights into individuals’ immune responses to infection and vaccination.
The authors highlight the need for standardized saliva collection and processing techniques to ensure high-quality data acquisition. They also advocated saliva as a comparative sample type in monitoring studies, which could significantly expand its utility in diagnosing a range of pathogens.
In short, a research team led by Drs. Claire Laxton and Chikondi Peno highlight the transformative potential of saliva in the diagnosis and monitoring of respiratory diseases. “Saliva collection and its pathways to low-cost collection and testing make it ideal for sustainable surveillance in low-resource environments,” concluded Dr. Laxton.
Journal Reference
Laxton CS, Peno C, Hahn AM, Allicock OM, Perniciaro S, Wyllie AL. The potential of saliva as an accessible sensitive sample type for detecting respiratory pathogens and host immunity. Lancet microorganisms. October 2023; 4 (10): E837-E850. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/s2666-5247(23)00135-0.
About the Author
Dr. Claire Laxton In 2023, the Wellcome Trust training program for antibacterial and antibacterial resistance was completed at the University of Nottingham, UK. During this period, she obtained an MRE, studied Gram-negative cell membrane physiology, then studied PhD, and then studied Pseudomonas aeruginosa Under Professor Kim Hardy, virulence factor of chronic wound infection. In 2020, Claire interrupted her PhD to work in the UK National Co-testing Laboratory and developed an interest in molecular diagnosis, and decided to move from the targets of discovering therapeutic targets to the development of diagnostic assays. She is now a postdoctoral assistant in the Wyllie Laboratory of Yale School of Public Health, and is committed to developing saliva-based molecular assays and expanding the saliva platform to test respiratory pathogens other than SARS-COV-2 as well as non-communication diseases.
Dr. Chikondi Peno He is a postdoctoral assistant in the Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases at Yale School of Public Health. Her research integrates molecular microbiology, immunology and epidemiological data to understand the impact of microbial community ecology (microbiome) on pathogen transmission and disease outcomes. Her research at Yale University Streptococcus pneumoniae Transmission, epidemiology of respiratory viruses in children and the role of infant respiratory flora on infant respiratory health. In addition, Dr. Peno is also keen to implement cheaper tests to detect respiratory pathogens to improve robust monitoring of respiratory pathogens in low- and middle-income countries. To this end, she is leading a study to conduct cost-effective diagnostic tests based on saliva based on major respiratory pathogens in Malawi, Africa, including SARS-COV-2, RSV and influenza A and B. Dr. Peno received his PhD in Clinical Science and Community Health from the University of Edinburgh and his infectious diseases degree from the London School of Tropical Medicine.
