Jal Neti Sample for COVID Detection: A Novel Hypothesis
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Jal Neti Sample for COVID Detection: A Novel Hypothesis Anish Gupta1 • Bhavna Gupta2
Received: 14 July 2020 / Accepted: 18 August 2020 Ó Association of Otolaryngologists of India 2020
Abstract The current standard method of diagnosing COVID status has low sensitivity which led the authors to ponder on alternative ways of taking the sample. Various studies have explored the role of nasal wash, a sample taken by injecting and aspirating saline with the help of a syringe but to the best of our knowledge, the use of Jal Neti kriya sample to detect coronavirus has not been reported in the literature so far. Jal Neti kriya is an integral part of shatkarmas-six actions of purification of the human body, written in the Yogic system of healthcare. It involves pouring water in one nostril and flushing out through the other nostril with the help of special equipment called ‘‘Neti pot’’, to keep the nasal passage clean. The authors find it worthwhile to share their hypothesis, which can pave a way to future research in COVID-19 detection. Keywords COVID-19 testing Nasopharyngeal wash Jal neti
with lukewarm saline water although some people have also used milk and honey (Fig. 1). Neti kriya effectively removes foreign bodies such as dust, allergens and enhances the drainage of sinuses by preventing mucus stasis [1]. There is a lot of published literature which demonstrates the utility of Neti kriya in reducing inflammatory mediators in nasal secretions and proves its efficacy in chronic cases of rhinitis and sinusitis [1, 3]. Many recent review articles have also appreciated its role in preventing and managing COVID cases. The current standard method of diagnosing COVID status has low sensitivity which led the authors to ponder on alternative ways of taking the sample. Various studies have explored the role of nasal wash, a sample taken by injecting and aspirating saline with the help of a syringe but to the best of our knowledge, the use of Jal Neti kriya sample to detect coronavirus has not been reported in the literature so far. The authors find it worthwhile to share their hypothesis, which can pave a way to future research in COVID-19 detection.
Introduction
Samples for Coronavirus Testing
Neti kriya is an ancient Indian airway cleansing technique which helps clean the nasopharyngeal passages and prevents and treats upper respiratory tract diseases, including viral infections. It is of two types—Jal Neti and Sutra Neti [1, 2]. Jal Neti is done with the help of a ‘‘Neti pot’’ filled
1. The nasopharyngeal swab technique is the current gold standard method of taking a sample from the upper respiratory tract to detect coronavirus infection. In this, a health care worker has to insert a swab parallel to the floor of nasal passage up to the nasopharynx. Centre for disease control (CDC) guidelines recommend that the swab must reach a depth equal to the distance from the nostrils to the outer opening of the ear. The swab should be in place for several seconds to absorb secretions and then it should
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