Recently, a video has circulated on the Internet: A woman in Shanghai grabbed a perch in a group purchase. She tested the fish for the new coronavirus antigen, and the result was positive.
Previously, a Shanghai citizen posted a video saying that the purchased fish was tested for the new coronavirus antigen, and the result was also positive.
If the content in the above video is true, then why did the group-buy fish test positive?
In this regard, the reporter of Science and Technology Daily interviewed relevant experts to answer your questions.
If the operation is not up to standard, the result is meaningless
Some media reports pointed out that the experimental results in the video did not indicate that the fish was infected with the new coronavirus.
Because according to the instructions for use, the test object of the new coronavirus antigen detection kit is human samples, such as nasal swabs, not other samples.
The antigen test for fish is the same as the antigen test for oranges, orange juice and other foods by netizens before. Since the test uses non-human samples, it will lead to the disorder of the antigen test system.
Shao Junbin, chairman of Shanghai Zhijiang Biotechnology Co., Ltd., pointed out that the new coronavirus antigen test should be carried out in strict accordance with the instructions, so that the results obtained are of reference significance.
If the operation does not conform to the standard, the result obtained does not have any meaning.
In addition, Chen Chunqi, a professor at the School of Life Sciences of Hubei University, said in an interview with a reporter from Science and Technology Daily: "The detection environment in the video is full of fish blood. Antibodies produce non-specific binding, which results in a positive test result."
"And it is impossible for the new coronavirus to infect fish." Chen Chunqi introduced that there are a series of receptors on the cell surface, and the new coronavirus can use these receptors to attach to cells, and the ACE2 receptor is one of them.
Fish or other seafood belong to lower non-mammalian animals. Although they also have ACE2 receptors, they are very different in structure from the ACE2 receptors of higher mammals.
The new coronavirus does not bind to the ACE2 receptor of fish, so it is impossible for fish to be infected, and there is no report of the new coronavirus infecting fish.
Use personal protection when handling food
In order to reduce the risk of the spread of the new coronavirus, Chen Chunqi suggested that the public should try not to directly touch raw fish and meat with their hands. Before handling such foods, they can be disinfected with alcohol, and they should wash their hands and wear masks before and after handling.
At the same time, the raw and cooked chopping boards should be separated, the food should be cooked thoroughly before eating, and the fruit should be peeled and eaten.
"You don't have to panic because of this. As long as you take precautions when handling food, you can eat it with confidence after washing and cooking it." Chen Chunqi said.
It is understood that at a press conference held by the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council, Feng Luzhao, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that there has been no evidence of infection of the new coronavirus through the human digestive tract through eating food, including seafood products.
Finally, relevant experts once again reminded the public that when conducting the new coronavirus antigen test, we must strictly follow the requirements on the instruction manual, so as to better avoid false positive and false negative results.