Infection by SARS-COV-2NCT04970563
Detection of Asymptomatic SARS-Cov2 Infected Patients by Detection Dogs: "Proof of Concept" Study (CoviDetectionDog)-Covid-19
A study testing Body odor samples in people with Infection by SARS-COV-2 and Healthy Controls, run by Hôpital Européen Marseille at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
The spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to a pandemic. Described for the first time in China at the end of 2019, it causes Covid-19 disease. Its characteristics in terms of contagiousness and lethality have led countries to adapt their screening and care strategies. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Infection by SARS-COV-2, Healthy Controls
- What is being tested?
- Body odor samples
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 160 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 21 Jun 2021to 14 Jan 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Aged ≥ 18 years
- Having given free and informed written consent
- Being affiliated to the center national security system social
- Patients infected by SARS-COV-2 with positive RT PCR on nasopharyngeal swab and without symptoms (fever, cough, anosmia, diarrhea) will be included in "experimental" Group 1.
- Patients infected by SARS COV 2 with positive RT PCR on nasopharyngeal swab and presenting at least one symptom will be included in Group 2 "control".
- Participants not infected by SARS-COV-2 with negative RT PCR on nasopharyngeal sample and showing no symptoms on Day 0 and Day 7 will be included in Group 3 "healthy controls".
Who cannot join
- Patient whose life expectancy is less than 3 months
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Detection of Asymptomatic SARS-Cov2 Infected Patients by Detection Dogs: "Proof of Concept" Study
The spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to a pandemic. Described for the first time in China at the end of 2019, it causes Covid-19 disease. Its characteristics in terms of contagiousness and lethality have led countries to adapt their screening and care strategies.
Early and accurate identification of people infected with SARs-CoV-2 is an essential measure to confront Covid-19 pandemic. A key aspect of Covid-19 is that diagnostic tests must be able to detect the virus in asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic and symptomatic patients.
Read more
Changes in human odor, as symptoms of specific diseases, have been observed. Dogs have already been used to detect breast or lung cancer, diabetes, epilepsy or kidney disease with some success There is currently a growing body of research and previous work, though preliminary, indicating the possibility that dogs identify persons infected with Sars-Cov-2 compared to healthy persons.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether trained detection dogs are able to identify asymptomatic patients infected by Sars-Cov-2.
The investigators aim to validate the possibility to identify / discriminate patients with Covid-19 according to their odor by a proof of concept (with specificity and sensitivity of the detection test), i.e. new non-invasive screening method using dogs odor detection capabilities.
- Conditions
- Infection by SARS-COV-2, Healthy Controls
- Being tested
- Body odor samples
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Body odor samplesOther
Participants will provide six body odor samples (mask and sweat samples) at inclusion
Body odor samplesOther
Participants will provide six body odor samples (masks and compresses) at inclusion. A 7-day follow-up will be carried out to check, respectively, the absence of symptoms and the persistence of negativity on the SARS-COV-2 PCR test
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Patients infected by SARS-COV-2 (RT-PCR +) and asymptomatic | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Body odor samples |
| "Control" group: patients infected by SARS-COV-2 (RT-PCR +) and symptomatic | Other | Not described Receives: Other: Body odor samples |
| "Healthy controls" group: not infected by SARS-COV-2 (RT-PCR-) and asymptomatic. | Other | Not described Receives: Other: Body odor samples |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Percentage behavioral response of trained dogs obtained on sweat samples from patients infected by asymptomatic SARS-Cov-2.
Measured: Six months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Jul 2021
- Study start21 Jun 2021
- Primary completion14 Jan 2022
- Study completion14 Jan 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Infection by SARS-COV-2Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 160 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hôpital Européen Marseille
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04970563
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 21-12
- Status last verified
- Jun 2021
- First submitted
- 16 Jun 2021
- Last updated
- 28 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Cattet J, Retornaz F, Munier F, Collignon C, Gaunet F. Dogs' Detection of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 by Non-Working Dogs: Feasibility and Limits Under Controlled Laboratory Conditions. Animals (Basel). 2026 Feb 4;16(3):480. doi: 10.3390/ani16030480.
PubMed 41681461
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Detection of Asymptomatic SARS-Cov2 Infected Patients by Detection Dogs: "Proof of Concept" Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04970563
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 21-12
- Conditions
- Infection by SARS-COV-2, Healthy Controls
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 160 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hôpital Européen MarseilleUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 21 Jun 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 14 Jan 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 14 Jan 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 21 Jul 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to a pandemic. Described for the first time in China at the end of 2019, it causes Covid-19 disease. Its characteristics in terms of contagiousness and lethality have led countries to adapt their screening and care strategies.
Early and accurate identification of people infected with SARs-CoV-2 is an essential measure to confront Covid-19 pandemic. A key aspect of Covid-19 is that diagnostic tests must be able to detect the virus in asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic and symptomatic patients.
Changes in human odor, as symptoms of specific diseases, have been observed. Dogs have already been used to detect breast or lung cancer, diabetes, epilepsy or kidney disease with some success There is currently a growing body of research and previous work, though preliminary, indicating the possibility that dogs identify persons infected with Sars-Cov-2 compared to healthy persons.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether trained detection dogs are able to identify asymptomatic patients infected by Sars-Cov-2.
The investigators aim to validate the possibility to identify / discriminate patients with Covid-19 according to their odor by a proof of concept (with specificity and sensitivity of the detection test), i.e. new non-invasive screening method using dogs odor detection capabilities.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Patients infected by SARS-COV-2 (RT-PCR +) and asymptomatic | Experimental | Other: Body odor samples |
| "Control" group: patients infected by SARS-COV-2 (RT-PCR +) and symptomatic | Other | Other: Body odor samples |
| "Healthy controls" group: not infected by SARS-COV-2 (RT-PCR-) and asymptomatic. | Other | Other: Body odor samples |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Aged ≥ 18 years
- Having given free and informed written consent
- Being affiliated to the center national security system social
- Patients infected by SARS-COV-2 with positive RT PCR on nasopharyngeal swab and without symptoms (fever, cough, anosmia, diarrhea) will be included in "experimental" Group 1.
- Patients infected by SARS COV 2 with positive RT PCR on nasopharyngeal swab and presenting at least one symptom will be included in Group 2 "control".
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Patient whose life expectancy is less than 3 months
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Body odor samplesParticipants will provide six body odor samples (mask and sweat samples) at inclusion | Other | "Control" group: patients infected by SARS-COV-2 (RT-PCR +) and symptomatic, Patients infected by SARS-COV-2 (RT-PCR +) and asymptomatic |
| Body odor samplesParticipants will provide six body odor samples (masks and compresses) at inclusion. A 7-day follow-up will be carried out to check, respectively, the absence of symptoms and the persistence of negativity on the SARS-COV-2 PCR test | Other | "Healthy controls" group: not infected by SARS-COV-2 (RT-PCR-) and asymptomatic. |
Primary outcome
Percentage behavioral response of trained dogs obtained on sweat samples from patients infected by asymptomatic SARS-Cov-2.
Time frame: Six months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Oct 2026.
- Results publication: PubMed 41681461Cattet J, Retornaz F, Munier F, Collignon C, Gaunet F. Dogs' Detection of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 by Non-Working Dogs: Feasibility and Limits Under Controlled Laboratory Conditions. Animals (Basel). 2026 Feb 4;16(3):480. doi: 10.3390/ani16030480.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Body odor samples in people with Infection by SARS-COV-2 and Healthy Controls, run by Hôpital Européen Marseille at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Percentage behavioral response of trained dogs obtained on sweat samples from patients infected by asymptomatic SARS-Cov-2. (time frame: Six months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04970563, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Oct 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.