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Accuracy of Healthcare Professionals Nasopharyngeal Swab Technique in SARS-CoV-2 Specimen Collection

Woods, R.; Walsh, M.; Nwaokorie, K.; Crowley, J.; Lacy, P.; de Barra, E.

2020-10-21 infectious diseases
10.1101/2020.10.19.20213140 medRxiv
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BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused huge pressure on healthcare systems worldwide. Public health measures to control the virus are reliant on testing, including appropriate collection of specimens for analysis. MethodsA prospective study of nasopharyngeal swab technique by staff in an academic tertiary referral centre was carried out. Nasopharyngeal swab technique was evaluated by a novel design of a navigated swab on a three-dimensional model head. ResultsSwab technique of 228 participants was assessed. Technique was poor, with a success rate of nasopharyngeal swabbing at 38.6%. Angle and length of insertion were significantly different between those with successful and unsuccessful technique. Doctors were significantly more accurate than nurses and non-healthcare professionals (p<0.01). ConclusionInaccurate specimen collection from poor swab technique could contribute to a false negative rate of testing for SARS-CoV-2. Specific training in nasopharyngeal anatomy and swab technique may improve the accuracy of nasopharyngeal swabbing.

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