Saliva tests: application to drug and health care monitoring

While blood analysis remains a pillar of modern medicine, the unobtrusive monitoring of health conditions is a main trend for the future. Advantages of saliva over blood analysis include a virtually unlimited and non-invasive access to the sample, the reduction of risks related to the manipulation of potentially infected waste and the possibility to avoid certified health professionals operating in controlled clinical environment for the collection of samples. The fast development of miniaturized sensing systems integrating microfluidic circuits, sensor arrays and wireless communication capabilities offers unprecedented possibilities for monitoring healthy subjects, like athletes or sport enthusiasts, or chronic patients, to avoid exacerbations or check compliance to therapy. Such systems could also be used roadside to screen potential consumers of illicit drugs or against doping in sport competitions. This talk will provide a panoramic view on saliva tests, with examples taken from literature and the research activity of our research group. The potential of saliva analysis for diagnosis and/or prognosis of diseases as well as therapeutic drug monitoring will be highlighted; issues currently preventing a more widespread use in clinical practice and everyday life will be outlined.