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Saliva is less sensitive than nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 detection in the community setting

Lu, J.; Becker, D.; Sandoval, E.; Amin, A.; De Hoff, P.; Diets, A.; Leonetti, N.; Lim, Y. W.; Elliott, C.; Laurent, L.; Grzymski, J.

2020-05-15 infectious diseases
10.1101/2020.05.11.20092338 medRxiv
Show abstract

The use of saliva collection for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics in the ambulatory setting provides several advantages when compared to nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS), including ease of self-collection and reduced use of personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition saliva collection could be advantageous in advising if a convalescent patient is able to return to work after a period of self-quarantine. We investigated the utility of saliva collection in the community setting at Renown Health in a prospective Diagnostic Cohort of 88 patients and in a Convalescent Cohort of 24 patients. In the Diagnostic Cohort, we find that saliva collection has reduced sensitivity (~30% less) relative to NPS. And in our convalescent cohort of patients greater than 8 days and less than 21 days from first symptom, we find that saliva has ~ 50% sensitivity relative to NPS. Our results suggest that rigorous studies in the intended populations should be performed before large-scale screening using saliva as the test matrix is initiated.

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