Does sampling saliva increase detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR? Comparing saliva with oro-nasopharyngeal swabs.
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| 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.
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| Authors | Ozlem Akgun Dogan, Betsi Kose, Nihat Bugra Agaoglu, Jale Yildiz, Gizem Alkurt, Yasemin Kendir Demirkol, Arzu Irvem, Gizem Dinler Doganay, Levent Doganay |
| Journal | Journal of virological methods (J Virol Methods) Vol. 290 Pg. 114049 (04 2021) ISSN: 1879-0984 [Electronic] Netherlands |
| PMID | 33387561 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article) |
| Copyright | Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. |
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