Comparison of nasopharyngeal and saliva swabs for the detection of RNA SARS-CoV-2 during mass screening (SALICOV study)

New Microbiol. 2021 Feb 14;44(1). Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTIn the context of a second wave of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, the use of saliva sampling has become an issue of real importance. SARS-CoV-2 RNA screening was performed on nasopharyngeal and saliva swabs collected from 501 individuals from residential homes for the elderly. The saliva samples were collected at the same time as the nasopharyngeal samples. Nasopharyngeal samples yielded positive results for 26 individuals, only two of whom also tested positive with saliva swabs. In this context, saliva collected by swabbing the fluid is not an ideal sample.PMID:33582823

Source: New Microbiologica - February 14, 2021 Category: Microbiology Authors: Sandrine Castelain Catherine Fran çois Baptiste Demey Aurelien Aubry Jean-Philippe Lanoix Gilles Duverlie Jean-Luc Schmit Etienne Brochot Source Type: research