January 14, 2021

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Outpatients: A Multi-Centre Comparison of Self-Collected Saline Gargle, Oral Swab and Combined Oral-Anterior Nasal Swab to a Provider Collected Nasopharyngeal Swab

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Testing and Treatment

Keywords (Tags): testing

Three self-collected non-nasopharyngeal swab techniques (saline gargle, oral swab, and oral-anterior nasal swab) demonstrated similar sensitivity to a provider-collected nasopharyngeal swab, when a positive test on any of the samples tested was used as the reference standard. Compared to  90% sensitivity using the provider-collected nasopharyngeal swab, the saline gargle, oral swab, and oral-anterior nasal swab techniques had adjusted sensitivities of 90%, 82%, and 87%, respectively.

Kandel et al. (Jan 13, 2021). Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Outpatients: A Multi-Centre Comparison of Self-Collected Saline Gargle, Oral Swab and Combined Oral-Anterior Nasal Swab to a Provider Collected Nasopharyngeal Swab. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2021.2