The science behind the nose: correlating volatile organic compound characterisation with canine biodetection of COVID-19.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic stimulated the advancement and research in the field of canine scent detection of COVID-19 and volatile organic compound (VOC) breath sampling. It remains unclear which VOCs are associated with positive canine alerts. This study aimed to confirm that the training aids used for COVID-19 canine scent detection were indeed releasing discriminant COVID-19 VOCs detectable and identifiable by gas chromatography (GC-MS).

In search of COVID-19: The ability of biodetection canines to detect COVID-19 odours from clinical samples.

Background: COVID-19 continues to be a public health concern and the demand for fast and reliable screening tests remains. SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans generates a specific volatile organic compound signature; this 'volatilome' could be used to deploy highly trained canine scent detection teams if they could reliably detect odours from infected individuals.

Methods: Two dogs were trained over 19 weeks to discriminate between the odours produced by breath, sweat, and gargle specimens collected from SARS-CoV-2 infected and uninfected individuals.

Corrigendum to "Detecting Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile using canine teams: What does the nose know?" [Infect Prev Pract 1 (2019) 100005].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.infpip.

Pups Assisting Wellness for Staff (P.A.W.S.): Evaluating the impact of canine-assisted interventions on critical care staff wellness.

Acute care settings can expose staff to job-related stressors. Pups Assisting Wellness for Staff (P.A.

Detecting using canine teams: What does the nose know?

Background: Trained canines are capable of detecting (CD) in the environment; however, the primary odour of interest on which the dogs alert is unclear.

Aim: To evaluate the inter-rater reliability of two canine detection teams for their ability to discriminate between scent pads containing CD-toxin-positive and -negative odours and their ability to discriminate between clostridial strains.

Methods: During a six-month period, two canine teams were tested weekly for their ability to detect CD-toxin-positive odours and discriminate between these and -negative odours.