Could anterior nasal swabs be an effective alternative for SARS-CoV-2 testing?
Antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) play a significant role in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing. Most Ag-RDTs currently used require nasopharyngeal swab samples. However, collecting nasopharyngeal swab samples requires qualified healthcare professionals, limiting the possibility to scaling up testing. The collection of nasopharyngeal swabs also causes discomfort for patients.
A diagnostic accuracy study comparing professional-collected anterior nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs
A team of researchers from various institutions in Germany and Switzerland recently performed a prospective diagnostic accuracy study, in which they compared professional-collected anterior nasal swabs to nasopharyngeal swabs, using WHO-listed SARS-CoV-2 Ag-RDT (STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Test, SD Biosensor) test kits. The findings of their study have been published on the preprint serv