Sensitivity of nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and nasal wash specimens for SARS-CoV-2 detection in the setting of sampling device shortage
Adrien Calame, Léna Mazza, Adriana Renzoni, Laurent Kaiser, Manuel Schibler
Abstract
In the context of an unprecedented shortage of nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) or sample transport media during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, alternative methods for sample collection are needed. To address this need, we validated a cell culture medium as a viral transport medium, and compared the analytical sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR in nasal wash (NW), oropharyngeal swab (OPS), and NPS specimens. Both the clinical and analytical sensitivity were comparable in these three sample types. OPS and NW specimens may therefore represent suitable alternatives to NPS for SARS-CoV-2 detection.
Topics & Concepts
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)Context (archaeology)Economic shortageMedical microbiologyMedicine2019-20 coronavirus outbreakSample (material)Sampling (signal processing)VirologyPathologyBiologyChromatographyChemistryInfectious disease (medical specialty)DiseaseComputer scienceOutbreakLinguisticsFilter (signal processing)PaleontologyComputer visionGovernment (linguistics)PhilosophySARS-CoV-2 detection and testingBiosensors and Analytical DetectionSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research