Assessment of sensitivity and specificity of nasopharyngeal and throat swabs in detection of COVID-19 infection among admitted patients: A scientific perspective

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: El-Malky A.M.; Ahmed A.A.; Albalawi H.J.; Al Husain A.; Alshammari A.A.; Alqarni K.S.; Albalawi M.J.

Journal: Egyptian Journal of Ear, Nose, Throat and Allied Sciences

Publisher: Egyptian Society of Ear Nose Throat and Allied Sciences

Publication Date: 1 January 2021

Volume / Issue: Volume 22 / Issue 22

Article No.: 34

ISSN: 20900740

DOI: 10.21608/EJENTAS.2021.50673.1285

Scopus: View on Scopus

Document Type: Article

Authors and Affiliations

El-Malky A.M., Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt, Morbidity and Mortality Review Unit, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Research Chair of Evidence-Based Healthcare and Knowledge Translation, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Ahmed A.A., Faculty of pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; Albalawi H.J., College of Medicine, Tabuk University, Saudi Arabia; Al Husain A., Faculty of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-kharj, Saudi Arabia; Alshammari A.A., Department of Respiratory Care, College of Applied Medical Sciences in Jubail, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University-Dammam, Saudi Arabia; Alqarni K.S., Medical Intern, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; Albalawi M.J., King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, Master of Molecular microbiology, Strathclyde University, United Kingdom

Abstract

Background: Early and accurate detection of respiratory viruses (RV) is important for patient management. We have previously shown that self-collected nasal swabs (NS) are feasible and as sensitive as clinician-collected nasal washes for detection of RV, but the additive benefit of self-collected throat swabs is unknown. Objectives: To test the rise in auto sufficient nasal yields to the throat swabs in patients with upper respiratory (URTI) symptoms for PCR identification of RV. Study Design: Patients with URTI symptoms self-collected paired polyurethane foam NS and nylon flocked throat swabs and completed a symptom survey. Swabs were tested for 12 RV by real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Descriptive, McNemar's, and Wilcoxon signed rank statistical tests were used. Results: The sample was made up of 115 paired swab nasals and throat, with at least 1 specimen being positive for RV (71/115 (62 percent), including 51 positive for both specimens, 17 positive for NS only and 3 favorable for RV only with throat swab. NS was 96 percent sensitive (95 percent CI: 88-99) compared with 76 per cent in throat swabs, p<0.001 (95 percent CI: 65-85). The median PCR period threshold (Ct) of 51 concordant samples was lower in NS (25.1) than in swabs of the throat (32.0). Conclusion: Self-collection of NS was significantly more sensitive than self-collection of throat swabs for detection of RV by RT-PCR. The addition of throat sampling does not appear to increase the diagnostic load in the self-testing setting. © 2018, EBX. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Assessment sensitivity; Nasal; Nasopharyngeal; Specificit

Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 0

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