Antigen Test For Travelers – Canadian Travel Clinics

What is Antigen Test?

When present in the body, an antigen is a material that can cause an immune reaction. It might be a bacteria, virus, toxin, chemical, or something else that comes from the outside of the body.

Antigens that can trigger immunological reactions are also present in tissues and cells in the body. Antigens are found in a body sample using an antigen screening. As with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that produces COVID-19, these antigens may be the proteins that make up a virus.

Antigen tests have the benefit of being quick and easy. Quickly locating surface identifiers on the outside of the virus is possible with an antigen test. Swabbing the nose or throat, where the virus is more likely to replicate and congregate in large numbers, makes it simple to collect samples. Results from antigen screening can also be obtained quickly.

How does it work?

For an antigen test, a person will swab samples from their nose and throat into a solution that contains salt and soap to break down cells and particles. The liquid will then be applied to a test strip that has antibodies that are unique to the virus. As they would inside the body, antibodies on the strip will bind to the antigens in the sample. In a positive sample, a line will be evident to show the presence of the virus or other antigen.

Benefits of Antigen Test!

Antigen screenings have a number of benefits, such as:

• Producing quick results—typically within 30 minutes

• Being simple to carry out and understand and not requiring a specialist

• Being reasonably priced