tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Virol Methods
. 2021 Jul 14;114241.
doi: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2021.114241. Online ahead of print.
SARS-CoV-2 saliva testing is a useful tool for Covid-19 diagnosis
Cristina Mendes de Oliveira[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Leila Brochi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Luciano Cesar Scarpelli[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Annelise Correa Wengerkievicz Lopes[SUP] 2 [/SUP], José Eduardo Levi[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the etiologic agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is mainly detected by RT-PCR methods from upper respiratory specimens, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Oro/nasopharyngeal swabbing can be discomfortable to the patients, requires trained healthcare personnel and may generate aerosol, increasing the risk of nosocomial infections. In this study, we describe two SARS-CoV-2 RNA extraction-free single RT-PCR protocols on saliva samples and compared the results with the paired oro/nasopharyngeal swab specimens from 400 patients. The two saliva protocols demonstrated a substantial agreement when compared to the oro/nasopharyngeal swab protocol. Moreover, the positivity rate of saliva protocols increased according to the disease period. The 95% limit of detection of one of the therefore implemented saliva protocol was determined as 9,441 copies/mL. Our results support the conclusion that RNA extraction-free RT-PCR using self-collected saliva specimens is an alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs, especially in the early phase of symptom onset.
Keywords: RNA extraction-free RT-PCR; SARS-CoV-2 detection; saliva.
. 2021 Jul 14;114241.
doi: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2021.114241. Online ahead of print.
SARS-CoV-2 saliva testing is a useful tool for Covid-19 diagnosis
Cristina Mendes de Oliveira[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Leila Brochi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Luciano Cesar Scarpelli[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Annelise Correa Wengerkievicz Lopes[SUP] 2 [/SUP], José Eduardo Levi[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34273438
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2021.114241
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the etiologic agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is mainly detected by RT-PCR methods from upper respiratory specimens, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Oro/nasopharyngeal swabbing can be discomfortable to the patients, requires trained healthcare personnel and may generate aerosol, increasing the risk of nosocomial infections. In this study, we describe two SARS-CoV-2 RNA extraction-free single RT-PCR protocols on saliva samples and compared the results with the paired oro/nasopharyngeal swab specimens from 400 patients. The two saliva protocols demonstrated a substantial agreement when compared to the oro/nasopharyngeal swab protocol. Moreover, the positivity rate of saliva protocols increased according to the disease period. The 95% limit of detection of one of the therefore implemented saliva protocol was determined as 9,441 copies/mL. Our results support the conclusion that RNA extraction-free RT-PCR using self-collected saliva specimens is an alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs, especially in the early phase of symptom onset.
Keywords: RNA extraction-free RT-PCR; SARS-CoV-2 detection; saliva.