Why do corona rapid tests turn positive due to cola?

The phenomenon where corona rapid tests can turn positive due to cola or other non-specific substances can have several causes. Here are some key points to understand why this can happen.

Rapid COVID tests, such as antigen tests, are designed to detect specific viral proteins. However, some tests can also react to other substances present in certain drinks or liquids, such as cola. These substances can cause a non-specific color change that resembles a positive result. This can happen because the test reactions are sometimes not completely specific for the viral antigen being tested.

Cola contains various chemicals, such as acids, sugars, and dyes, which can potentially interact chemically with the test components. These interactions can affect the test results and cause a coloration that is not related to the presence of the virus.

In some cases, the result of a test can be affected by contamination with external substances. For example, if a test comes into contact with cola or another liquid that is not intended for the test environment, this can lead to an incorrect interpretation of the result.

The quality and specificity of rapid COVID tests can vary. Well-designed tests should have minimal chance of such interference, but not all tests are equally accurate. Lower specificity can contribute to false-positive results when other substances are present.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8078202/

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2022-12-09 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2024