Passive Detection- SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) A&M Breathalyzer (PROTECT Kiosk) for Operational Medicine

NCT ID: NCT06402318

Last Updated: 2025-12-10

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Total Enrollment: 100 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-12-27
• Study Completion Date: 2026-03-30

Brief Summary

The primary objective of this effort will be to optimize and operationalize innovative passive surveillance systems and in parallel, the effort will identify, evaluate, and transition groundbreaking new technologies in diagnostics for operationalization.

To meet the objective and execute the deliverables for this program of effort, the A&M Breathalyzer PROTECT Kiosk will be tested, modified and validated at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC). The collaborative efforts between the PI, Dr. Michael Morris at BAMC and Co-Investigator Dr. Tony Yuan at USU- Center for Biotechnology (4D Bio3) will assess the passive detection technology and provide a capability survey of use-case scenarios for different operational settings.

Goals:

1. Optimization and operationalize the A&M Breathalyzer PROTECT Kiosk, portable mass spectrometer (MS) Detector for Deployment in Military Operational Medicine Environments. The Breathalyzer will be deployed to BAMC to test its detection capabilities of COVID-19 among symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 carrier vs. those not infected compared to gold standard RT-PCR.

2. Evaluate the passive sensing, breath capture system, built within the A&M Breathalyzer PROTECT Kiosk. The conversion of the active breath capture system, currently requires a straw that the subject breaths into, where then a series of sensors built in the Breathalyzer would automatically sample the exhaled breath within proximity for recent COVID-19 exposure. This task would conclude with a set of sensors and sensor inputs that would be analyzed by the Atomic AI platform built in the device. Field testing at BAMC is planned to determine the level of detection and discrimination for sensor combinations to SARS-CoV2 components and biomarkers detected. This testing would update the Atomic AI algorithm, within the device, to understand the accuracy of positive detection and the resulting sensitivities.

Detailed Description

Emerging acute respiratory diseases (ARDs) pose a significant threat for the US military, especially among those in training environments where crowded living conditions and demanding multi-factorial stresses exacerbate infection exposure and suppress immunity, respectively. Consequently, ARD rates are routinely reported higher in recruits than older military personnel, which have a detrimental effect on operational readiness. Although significant steps, such as surveillance and vaccine programs, have been taken to minimize the impact that ARDs have on military recruits and newly mobilized troops, hospitalizations among recruits still exceeds that of comparable civilian population in the United States by at least 3- to 4-folds, accounting for almost 30% of all infectious disease associated hospitalizations. In 2018, respiratory infections like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), accounted for an estimated 50,000 medical encounters affecting about ~35,000 recruits that resulted in 1,000 hospital bed days leading to significant loss in training time and cost. In addition to annual respiratory infections, the on-going COVID-19 numbers rising again, continues to threaten to further degrade operational readiness. Thus, inexpensive, rapid, and more reliable diagnostics are continually required to better treat and prevent ARDs to preserve military readiness and decrease disability adjusted life years.

Current CLIA laboratory diagnostic procedures, such Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), and bacterial cultures, are costly, time-consuming, and operator sensitive. It has become apparent that during the COVID-19 pandemic, these approaches were and continue to be insufficient in meeting diagnostic needs as they are difficult to scale-up and lack logistical flexibility. Furthermore, due to the invasive nature of active clinical sampling, there is a critical need for accurate and rapid passive surveillance as to screen for SARS-CoV-19 as well as other hazardous chemical and biological agents. To address this capability gap, the current project will: 1) modify and operationalize existing innovative passive surveillance systems that can be deployed in the near-term; 2) leverage revolutionary technologies that will enhance current diagnostic systems to meet mid- and far-term gaps in CBRNE gaps.

Conditions

COVID-19; SARS CoV 2 Virus; COVID-19 Pneumonia; COVID-19 Respiratory Infection; COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_CONTROL
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

COVID-19, Flu, or RSV positive patients

Participants screened with known COVID-19, Flu or RSV positive results obtained within 48 hours of recruitment.

A&M Breathalyzer PROTECT Kiosk

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The A\&M Breathalyzer PROTECT Kiosk will collect the mass spectrum breath readings from each participant, scan speed, and will autoanalyze noise and scan thresholds and sensitivity data.

COVID-19, Flu or RSV negative patients

Participants screened with known COVID-19, Flu or RSV negative results obtained within 48 hours of recruitment.

A&M Breathalyzer PROTECT Kiosk

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The A\&M Breathalyzer PROTECT Kiosk will collect the mass spectrum breath readings from each participant, scan speed, and will autoanalyze noise and scan thresholds and sensitivity data.

Interventions

A&M Breathalyzer PROTECT Kiosk

The A\&M Breathalyzer PROTECT Kiosk will collect the mass spectrum breath readings from each participant, scan speed, and will autoanalyze noise and scan thresholds and sensitivity data.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

Breathalyzer

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals 18 years and older
• Receiving standard COVID-19, Flu and/or RSV screening and testing at BAMC
• Do not have to be diagnosed with SARS-CoV-19 (COVID-19) but only be screened
• Ability to understand consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Any individual under age of 18
• Anyone unable to comply (or be assisted) with study procedures
• Anyone not able to provide temperature thermal scan, and/or perform exhaled breath for approximately 8 seconds

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 89 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Brooke Army Medical Center

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Level 42 AI, Inc.

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role: collaborator

The Geneva Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Tony Yuan, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS)

Michael Morris, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Brooke Army Medical Center

Locations

Brooke Army Medical Center

Fort Sam Houston, Texas, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Tony Yuan, PhD

Role: CONTACT

tony.yuan@usuhs.edu

214-292-0508

Katherine Walker-Rodriguez

Role: CONTACT

katherine.c.walker-rodriguez.ctr@health.mil

2103783057

Facility Contacts

Katherine Walker-Rodriguez, MSN

Role: primary

katherine.c.walker-rodriguez.ctr@health.mil

2103783057

Tony Yuan, PhD

Role: backup

tony.yuan@usuhs.edu

References

Anderson JC. Measuring breath acetone for monitoring fat loss: Review. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015 Dec;23(12):2327-34. doi: 10.1002/oby.21242. Epub 2015 Nov 2.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 26524104 (View on PubMed)

Grassin-Delyle S, Roquencourt C, Moine P, Saffroy G, Carn S, Heming N, Fleuriet J, Salvator H, Naline E, Couderc LJ, Devillier P, Thevenot EA, Annane D; Garches COVID-19 Collaborative Group RECORDS Collaborators and Exhalomics(R) Collaborators. Metabolomics of exhaled breath in critically ill COVID-19 patients: A pilot study. EBioMedicine. 2021 Jan;63:103154. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103154. Epub 2020 Dec 4.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 33279860 (View on PubMed)

Zamora-Mendoza BN, Diaz de Leon-Martinez L, Rodriguez-Aguilar M, Mizaikoff B, Flores-Ramirez R. Chemometric analysis of the global pattern of volatile organic compounds in the exhaled breath of patients with COVID-19, post-COVID and healthy subjects. Proof of concept for post-COVID assessment. Talanta. 2022 Jan 1;236:122832. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122832. Epub 2021 Sep 2.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 34635222 (View on PubMed)

van Keulen KE, Jansen ME, Schrauwen RWM, Kolkman JJ, Siersema PD. Volatile organic compounds in breath can serve as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for the detection of advanced adenomas and colorectal cancer. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2020 Feb;51(3):334-346. doi: 10.1111/apt.15622. Epub 2019 Dec 20.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 31858615 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

C.2024.007

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id