Antigen Tests

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*aeptis supplies a wide range of internationally certified Antigen tests directly from the manufacturers, with some of which we run our own production lines.

Details

Antigen tests are done by looking for proteins on the surface of the virus to ascertain the presence of the pathogen. The test requires a swab from the back of your nose or throat as a sample and cannot determine whether you are contagious if positive.

Antigen tests — often referred to as rapid tests — work by mixing the sample with a solution that unleashes specific viral proteins. That combination is then applied to a paper strip that contains a bespoke antibody optimized to bind these proteins if they are present. Like in a home pregnancy test,  the result is reflected as a band on the paper strip.

The process doesn’t require a lab, and can be done in up to 30 minutes, but that speed comes at the cost of sensitivity. Although these tests are reliable when an individual has a high viral load, they are far more prone to generating false-negative results if a person has low amounts of the virus in their body.