Abstract
The precise diagnosis of COVID-19 is of outmost importance in order to effectively treat patients and prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Herein, we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the COVID-19 Antigen Detection Kit (Colloidal Gold—CG) compared with PCR in nasopharyngeal and nasal samples. A total of 114 positive and 244 negative nasopharyngeal specimens confirmed by PCR were used in this comparative study. When the PCR positive Cycle Threshold (Ct) value was ≤25, CG sensitivity was 100%. When the PCR positive Ct value was ≤33, CG sensitivity was 99%. When the PCR positive Ct value was ≤40, CG sensitivity was 89.47%. Regarding nasal swabs, a total of 109 positive and 250 negative specimens confirmed by PCR were used. When the PCR positive Ct value was ≤25, CG sensitivity was 100%. When the PCR positive Ct value was ≤33, CG sensitivity was 96.12%. When the PCR positive Ct value was ≤37, CG sensitivity was 91.74%. Specificity was above 99% regardless of the Ct value of PCR positivity for both nasopharyngeal and nasal specimens. Overall, the CG showed high sensitivity and specificity when the PCR Ct value was less than 33. Therefore, CG can be used for screening early in the disease course. Confirmatory PCR is essential when a false negative result is suspected.
Highlights
The outbreak of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection has become a global public health crisis [1]
The Coronavirus Research Group of the International Commission on Classification of Viruses named the new pathogen “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2), and the disease was officially named as the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO) [4]
358 nasal and 358 nasopharyngeal swabs were simultaneously collected from the same patients
Summary
The outbreak of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection has become a global public health crisis [1]. Research results show that the new coronavirus has a homology of 88 percent with the bat severe acute respiratory syndrome-like coronavirus (bat-SLCoVZC45) [2,3]. The Coronavirus Research Group of the International Commission on Classification of Viruses named the new pathogen “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2), and the disease was officially named as the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO) [4]. Asymptomatic individuals do not present with any COVID-19-related symptoms, but as carriers of SARS-CoV-2, they may transmit the virus to other susceptible individuals. COVID-19 may be asymptomatic; asymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2 may transmit the virus to vulnerable individuals [4]
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.