The advantages and disadvantages of saliva antigen – antibody tests are as follows:

Advantages:

1. Non – invasive and highly acceptable
   • Compared with blood tests that require blood collection, saliva testing is a non – invasive method that causes no harm, pain, or discomfort to the human body. It has a higher acceptance rate among test – takers, especially for children, those who are afraid of blood, or those who are squeamish about blood collection. It is an ideal testing option.
   • Test – takers can collect their own saliva samples without the need for professional medical staff to operate. This not only facilitates the testing process but also reduces the workload and infection risk of medical staff.
2. Simple operation
   • The process of collecting saliva samples is relatively simple. Test – takers only need to spit saliva into a collection container or use a specific saliva collector, without complex operating procedures or professional skills.
   • The operation of test kits is also convenient. Usually, only the saliva sample needs to be mixed with the reagents, and then the results can be observed. Ordinary people can master it after simple training.
3. Quick results
   • Saliva antigen – antibody tests can usually obtain results in a relatively short period of time. Compared with some testing methods that require complex operations and analysis in the laboratory, it saves time and can quickly provide preliminary testing information, which is of certain significance for early screening and rapid diagnosis of diseases.
4. Avoiding the risk of blood – borne infectious diseases
   • Saliva testing does not involve blood, so it can avoid the risk of infection with blood – borne infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and AIDS caused by blood collection.
5. Relatively high sample stability
   • Saliva samples are relatively more stable to some extent than some other sample types (such as throat swab samples) and are less affected by the external environment. They are relatively easier to preserve and handle during collection and transportation.

Disadvantages:

1. Relatively low test accuracy
   • The concentration of antigens or antibodies in saliva may be low, especially in the early stage of a disease or when the degree of infection is light, which may lead to false – negative test results, that is, the test result shows negative, but the test – taker is actually infected with the pathogen.
   • The composition of saliva is relatively complex, and there may be some interfering substances that can affect the accuracy of test results, leading to false positives or false negatives.
2. Limited scope of application
   • Not all pathogens can be accurately diagnosed through saliva testing. Some pathogens are present in very small amounts in saliva or interact with the components of saliva, resulting in ineffective detection through saliva testing.
3. Samples are easily contaminated
   • Saliva samples are easily contaminated by food, beverages, oral secretions, etc. These contaminants may affect the accuracy of test results. Therefore, before collecting saliva samples, test – takers need to keep their mouths clean and collect samples according to the correct method.
4. Cautious interpretation of results
   • The interpretation of saliva antigen – antibody test results requires professional knowledge and experience. Different test kits may have different judgment criteria and result interpretation methods. If test – takers conduct tests by themselves, unnecessary worries or delays in treatment may occur due to misinterpretation of the results.