Oral Cavity - A Potential Repository for Early Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Asymptomatic Carriers

The present outbreak of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global health
emergency. The major reason of concern amongst the health authorities is the early detection and
effective isolation of the patients as the present disease is quite similar in initial clinical presentation to
the old common flu. Presently, Real Time reverse transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRTPCR)
is considered to be the gold standard to detect the causative virus, SARS-Cov-2, but its time
consuming and poses the risk of further spread meanwhile, to the exposed people especially
healthcare workers. Therefore globally, social distancing is the only mode identified to prevent the
spread of the disease and keep isolating people who present with clinical symptoms, screen them and
act accordingly. However asymptomatic carriers are the next point of worry and demands mass
screening which is not possible with rRT-PCR per se. Researchers are trying to establish a way out
for detecting the SARS-Cov-2 virus in the asymptomatic carriers or in patients who are under
incubation period, thereby eradicating the spread of disease and flatten the curve of virus
multiplication.