Infect Chemother.  2022 Sep;54(3):517-528. 10.3947/ic.2022.0081.

Diagnostic Performance, Stability, and Usability of Self-Collected Combo Swabs and Saliva for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Diagnosis: A Case-Control Study

• Choi SJ
• Jung J
• Kim ES
• Kim HB
• Park JS
• Park KU
• Lee H
• Lee E
• Choe PG
• Kim JY
• Lee EJ
• Song KH

• KMID: 2534163
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2022.0081

Abstract

Background
Self-sampling procedures to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is important for patients who have difficulty visiting the hospital and may decrease the burden for health care workers (HCWs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance, stability and usability of self-collected nasal and oral combo swabs and saliva specimens.
Materials and Methods
We conducted a case-control study with 50 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 50 healthy volunteers from March, 2021 to June, 2021. We performed real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction to compare the diagnostic performance of self-collected specimens using positive percent agreements (PPAs).
Results
The PPAs between self-collected and HCW-collected specimens were 77.3 - 81.0% and 80.5 -86.7% for the combo swabs and saliva specimens, respectively. The PPAs increased to 88.9 - 89.2% and 81.2 - 82.1% with a cycle threshold value ≤30.
Conclusion
The diagnostic performance of self sampling was comparable to that of HCW sampling in patients with high viral loads and may thus assist in the early diagnosis of COVID-19.

Keyword

SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Self sampling; Self-collected specimens