tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Virol Methods
. 2020 Dec 30;114049.
doi: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2020.114049. Online ahead of print.
Does sampling saliva increase detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR? Comparing saliva with oro-nasopharyngeal swabs
Ozlem Akgun Dogan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Betsi Kose[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nihat Bugra Agaoglu[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jale Yildiz[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Gizem Alkurt[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Yasemin Kendir Demirkol[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Arzu Irvem[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Gizem Dinler Doganay[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Levent Doğanay[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The gold standard method in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is the detection of viral RNA in the nasopharyngeal sample by RT-PCR. Recently, saliva samples have been suggested as an alternative sample. In the present study, we aimed to compare RT-PCR results in nasopharyngeal, oro-nasopharyngeal and saliva samples of COVID-19 patients. 98 of 200 patients were positive in RT-PCR analysis performed before the hospitalization. On day 0, at least one sample was positive in 67% of 98 patients. The positivity rate was 83% for both oro-nasopharyngeal and nasopharyngeal samples, while it was 63% for saliva samples (p < 0.001). On day 5, RT-PCR was performed in 59 patients, 34% had at least one positive result. The positivity rate was 55% for both saliva and nasopharyngeal samples, while it was 60% for oro-nasopharyngeal samples. Our study shows that the sampling saliva does not increase the sensitivity of RT-PCR tests at the early stages of infection. However, on the 5th day, viral RNA detection rates in saliva were similar to nasopharyngeal and oro-nasopharyngeal samples. In conclusion, we suggest that, in patients receiving treatment, RT-PCR in saliva, in addition to the standard samples, is important to determine the isolation period and control transmission.
Keywords: RT-PCR; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; saliva.
. 2020 Dec 30;114049.
doi: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2020.114049. Online ahead of print.
Does sampling saliva increase detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR? Comparing saliva with oro-nasopharyngeal swabs
Ozlem Akgun Dogan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Betsi Kose[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nihat Bugra Agaoglu[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jale Yildiz[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Gizem Alkurt[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Yasemin Kendir Demirkol[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Arzu Irvem[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Gizem Dinler Doganay[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Levent Doğanay[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33387561
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2020.114049
Abstract
The gold standard method in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is the detection of viral RNA in the nasopharyngeal sample by RT-PCR. Recently, saliva samples have been suggested as an alternative sample. In the present study, we aimed to compare RT-PCR results in nasopharyngeal, oro-nasopharyngeal and saliva samples of COVID-19 patients. 98 of 200 patients were positive in RT-PCR analysis performed before the hospitalization. On day 0, at least one sample was positive in 67% of 98 patients. The positivity rate was 83% for both oro-nasopharyngeal and nasopharyngeal samples, while it was 63% for saliva samples (p < 0.001). On day 5, RT-PCR was performed in 59 patients, 34% had at least one positive result. The positivity rate was 55% for both saliva and nasopharyngeal samples, while it was 60% for oro-nasopharyngeal samples. Our study shows that the sampling saliva does not increase the sensitivity of RT-PCR tests at the early stages of infection. However, on the 5th day, viral RNA detection rates in saliva were similar to nasopharyngeal and oro-nasopharyngeal samples. In conclusion, we suggest that, in patients receiving treatment, RT-PCR in saliva, in addition to the standard samples, is important to determine the isolation period and control transmission.
Keywords: RT-PCR; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; saliva.