The role of bio-detection dogs in the prevention and diagnosis of infectious diseases: A systematic review

Abstract

Infectious diseases have been lately considered as one of the most important global risks, which negatively impact not only the health but also the socioeconomic conditions of countries. Globalization influences the spread of infectious diseases as a result of increased travelling and interaction in humans. Thus, it is highly important to prevent and diagnose new infectious diseases by using accurate and quick diagnostic methods. Bio-detection dogs have a great potential to accurately diagnose infectious disease as they have a great ability to sense disease-specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) originate from infectious agents and/or pathophysiological processes in the human body. The use of these dogs to detect infectious diseases has come to focus in particular after the recent global health crisis due to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review discusses the potential use of bio-detection dogs in the prevention and diagnosing of infectious diseases. Moreover, factors affecting the scent of the disease, e.g. VOCs, are tried to be highlighted.