Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

July 23, 2020

Saliva as a Diagnostic Specimen for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Suspected Patients: A Scoping Review

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  • A review of 9 studies (293 total samples) found no statistically significant difference in viral loads between saliva, nasopharyngeal, or sputum specimens obtained for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The authors suggest that these findings indicate that self-collected saliva may be a reliable and non-invasive approach for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 using RT-PCR. 

Fakheran et al. (July 15, 2020). Saliva as a Diagnostic Specimen for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Suspected Patients: A Scoping Review. Infectious Diseases of Poverty. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-020-00728-w