Detection of Covid-19 by Volatile Organic Compounds in Exhaled Breath

Overview

Our primary aim is to collect breath samples from COVID-19 positive patients at the time of diagnosis, during and after recovery using the same patient as his/her own control to identify VOCs specific to SARS-COV-2 viral infection. A secondary aim is to determine the patient's likely disease trajectory in terms of recovery versus progression to respiratory and or multi-organ failure. Breath samples will be collected as soon as the patient is admitted to the Vancouver General Hospital COVID Ward with a diagnosis of COVID-19 by RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal/throat swab. A second breath sample will be obtained one week later, or before hospital discharge or if they become sicker prior to transfer to the intensive care. A third sample will be taken to 8-12 weeks after recovery from the illness with a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test. VOCs in exhaled breath will be measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS or GCxGC-TOFMS). VOC profiles from the symptomatic phase and recovery phase will be compared to determine if there are unique VOCs associated with COVID-19 infection. Comparison of VOC profiles between those who recover and those who progressed will provide information on potential prognostic features. The results of this pilot study will form the basis to determine if a larger study is warranted.

Patients will be recruited from the COVID wards at VGH, all patients admitted will be given a letter of invite on admission if eligible and if interested and eligible will be enrolled. Sample for the study will be collected at the VGH COVID patient wards. Consenting patients and breath collection will be performed in the patients' hospital room with proper personnel protective equipment. A verbal consent will be collected as to not contaminate consent forms. A paper copy will be given or emailed to the participants to have for their own records. .We aim to recruit up to 20 patients. The final number will be dependent on the number of new cases in Vancouver available for the study after REB approval. Additional participants will be recruited from community testing sites. Participants will be approached to be invited to participate while waiting in their vehicles at the drive-by testing sites. Breath samples will be analyzed on a SepSolve GC-TOF MS system at the BC Cancer Research Institute.