tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
PLoS One
. 2025 May 29;20(5):e0322543.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0322543. eCollection 2025. The added diagnostic value of RT-PCR on faeces for the diagnosis of COVID-19
Nathalie Van der Moeren[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Rik van den Biggelaar[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Karin B Gast[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Jaco J Verweij[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Barbara J M Bergmans[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Joep J J M Stohr[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Jean-Luc Murk[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Objectives: To determine whether combining a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR on a fecal sample [FS] with a RT-PCR on an upper respiratory tract sample [URTS] results in additional COVID-19 diagnoses.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study at a regional hospital in The Netherlands from 27 February 2020-30 June 2020. Patients presenting with COVID-19-like symptoms for who a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR on both URTS and FS were obtained within 24 hours were included. We calculated the difference in positive RT-PCR when combining URTS/FS compared to URTS alone, overall and stratified by symptom duration and disease severity.
Results: Three hundred eighty-six patients were included of which 63 had a positive RT-PCR on URTS [n = 8], FS [n = 19] or both [n = 36], corresponding to a prevalence of 16.3%. The addition of testing FS increased the number of COVID-19 diagnoses by 31.8% [95%CI 20,3%-43,2%].
Conclusions: We showed that adding SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR on FS to URTS yields significantly more COVID-19 diagnoses. The inclusion of an FS may therefore be considered in patients with a negative URTS and high suspicion of COVID-19.
. 2025 May 29;20(5):e0322543.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0322543. eCollection 2025. The added diagnostic value of RT-PCR on faeces for the diagnosis of COVID-19
Nathalie Van der Moeren[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Rik van den Biggelaar[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Karin B Gast[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Jaco J Verweij[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Barbara J M Bergmans[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Joep J J M Stohr[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Jean-Luc Murk[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 40440304
- DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0322543
Objectives: To determine whether combining a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR on a fecal sample [FS] with a RT-PCR on an upper respiratory tract sample [URTS] results in additional COVID-19 diagnoses.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study at a regional hospital in The Netherlands from 27 February 2020-30 June 2020. Patients presenting with COVID-19-like symptoms for who a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR on both URTS and FS were obtained within 24 hours were included. We calculated the difference in positive RT-PCR when combining URTS/FS compared to URTS alone, overall and stratified by symptom duration and disease severity.
Results: Three hundred eighty-six patients were included of which 63 had a positive RT-PCR on URTS [n = 8], FS [n = 19] or both [n = 36], corresponding to a prevalence of 16.3%. The addition of testing FS increased the number of COVID-19 diagnoses by 31.8% [95%CI 20,3%-43,2%].
Conclusions: We showed that adding SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR on FS to URTS yields significantly more COVID-19 diagnoses. The inclusion of an FS may therefore be considered in patients with a negative URTS and high suspicion of COVID-19.