• Head of the virology department at Rennes University Hospital, Professor Vincent Thibault has succeeded in detecting respiratory viral genomes on used handkerchiefs.
  • His discovery could seal the fate of swabs, these long cotton swabs introduced into the nostrils to perform PCR tests.
  • After initial convincing results and publication in a scientific journal, the professor will conduct a larger-scale test in the coming months.

It is an instrument of torture that we wish we had never known. But now, the Covid-19 pandemic has passed by and we had to resolve to have our nose cured to know if we were carriers of the virus or not. With the gift of the unpleasant rise of the swab in our nostrils. Unless you are a little masochistic, no one jumps for joy at the idea of performing a PCR test and facing this long cotton swab.

But this ordeal could soon be a distant memory. Head of the virology department at Rennes University Hospital, Professor Vincent Thibault has just demonstrated that it was possible to detect respiratory viruses on used tissues. In other words, no need for swabs to screen for viral genomes. "We are not there yet, but it is a first step forward," says the researcher. It was his passion for forensic science that led him to launch his work in 2018. "I'm fascinated by the fact that investigators are able to detect DNA fragments on samples that are years old," he says.

More accurate than a PCR test

Based on this, Vincent Thibault wondered if it was possible to detect viruses on used tissues. To find out, he first made the pockets of his relatives to build up a small stock of tissues that he then analyzed. "Each time, I was able to detect viruses on the tissues," he says. The researcher then continued the experiment for a year at the CHU nursery and a primary school. "I used to go every week to pick up my used tissues by bike," he laughs.

And here again, the results of his analyses proved convincing. Same with a group of volunteers with Covid-19. "All the handkerchiefs of these people made it possible to detect the virus and in two-thirds of cases, in a clearer way than a PCR test," says the researcher. Its study halted with the health crisis, the results have just been published last month in the American scientific journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. "This proves the seriousness of my approach," says Professor Vincent Thibault.

A larger-scale test in project

Once the patent is filed, he will now focus on finding funding and partners to conduct a larger-scale test. "We need to optimize the technique of collecting and analyzing handkerchiefs to make it industrial," says the professor. If the results are confirmed, his approach could then be put into practice. And thus seal the fate of the swabs.

"Of course, it's never very pleasant for the patient," he admits. The advantage of the handkerchief is also that we avoid exposing health professionals to the virus because we only have to blow your nose at home and send your handkerchief by mail for analysis. Ultimately, Vincent Thibault would also like his discovery to reduce the consumption of antibiotics "which are ineffective against viruses. »

  • Health
  • Medicine
  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19
  • Virus
  • Rennes
  • Brittany
  • Influenza
  • Researchers