A Direct Comparison of Enhanced Saliva to Nasopharyngeal Swab for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Symptomatic Patients
Gary W. Procop, Nabin K. Shrestha, Sherilynn Vogel, Kelly Van Sickle, Susan M. Harrington, Daniel D. Rhoads, Brian P. Rubin, Paul Terpeluk
Abstract
The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in shortages of nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) and viral transport media, necessitating the search for alternate diagnostic specimens, such as saliva. We directly compared matched saliva and NPS specimens from symptomatic patients suspected of having COVID-19. An enhanced saliva specimen (i.e., strong sniff, elicited cough, and collection of saliva/secretions) was collected without transport medium prior to collection of NPS from 224 patients with symptoms deemed consistent with COVID-19.
Topics & Concepts
SalivaCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)MedicineCoronavirus2019-20 coronavirus outbreakPandemicVirologyEconomic shortageInternal medicineDiseaseOutbreakInfectious disease (medical specialty)PhilosophyGovernment (linguistics)LinguisticsSARS-CoV-2 detection and testingCOVID-19 diagnosis using AIDental Research and COVID-19