Animal Olfactory Detection of Disease: Promises and Pitfalls

[摘要] The association of unique odors with disease has a long-standing history in medicine, from the initial detection of inborn errors of metabolism in babies, to ketoacidosis in hyperglycemic patients, to the most recent research field of cancer odor profiles. However, the human capacity to detect odor is far exceeded by the very sensitive olfactory detection systems of some animals, such as dogs and rats. For example, dogs are regularly used in police enforcement to detect narcotics or forensic remains, and rats are used to detect landmines in some regions of Africa. More recently, a variety of animal species have been used in the context of medicine to detect diseases, such as tuberculosis and cancer. The utility of animals for the detection of disease has the greatest appeal in communities where medical funds and accessibility are limiting, and also in the context of serious disease for which no screening programs exist or current biomarkers are not ideal.Although there are reports of success in the literature regarding animal training and olfactory detection using a variety of disease specimens, quite a few challenges exist to ensure a successful future for this research field. For example, the odor molecules detected by animals are currently unknown. In an attempt to identify these molecules, some research groups are working toward the development of an “electronic nose” to detect both odorous and nonodorous molecules emitted from disease specimens. Such a device would lead to the automated detection of odor profiles or fingerprints that could identify disease for the purposes of screening or diagnosis. In this Q&A, experts from the field of olfactory detection of disease discuss the success of the research field to date, pitfalls to avoid in the future, and future applications of their work.Historically, how have animals been used as scent detectors? Bart …

[学科分类] 过敏症与临床免疫学