Impact of repeated nasal sampling on detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Joshua Levy, Emory University; Jennifer Frediani, Emory University; Erika A. Tyburski, Atlanta Center for Microsystems-Engineered Point-of-Care Technologies; Anna Wood, Emory University; Janet Figueroa, Emory University; Russell Kempker, Emory University; Paulina Rebolledo, Emory University; Mark D. Gonzalez, Atlanta Center for Microsystems-Engineered Point-of-Care Technologies; Julie Sullivan, Atlanta Center for Microsystems-Engineered Point-of-Care Technologies; Miriam Vos, Emory University; Jared O'Neal, Atlanta Center for Microsystems-Engineered Point-of-Care Technologies; Gregory Martin, Emory University; Wilbur Lam, Emory University; Jesse Waggoner, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-12-01
• Publisher: Nature
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2021
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94547-0
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Scientific Reports
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 14903
• End Page: 14903
• Grant/Funding Information: RADx, Grant/Award Number: U54 EB027690 02S1, UL1 TR002378.
• Keywords: Specimen Handling; Humans; COVID-19; Turbinates; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Middle Aged; SARS-CoV-2; Sensitivity and Specificity; Aged; Male; Reproducibility of Results; Infant; Adult; COVID-19 Testing; Child; Child, Preschool; Adolescent
• Research Categories: Biology, Virology; Gerontology; Health Sciences, Immunology

Abstract

The impact of repeated sample collection on COVID-19 test performance is unknown. The FDA and CDC currently recommend the primary collection of diagnostic samples to minimize the perceived risk of false-negative findings. We therefore evaluated the association between repeated sample collection and test performance among 325 symptomatic patients undergoing COVID-19 testing in Atlanta, GA. High concordance was found between consecutively collected mid-turbinate samples with both molecular (n = 74, 100% concordance) and antigen-based (n = 147, 97% concordance, kappa = 0.95, CI = 0.88–1.00) diagnostic assays. Repeated sample collection does not decrease COVID-19 test performance, demonstrating that multiple samples can be collected for assay validation and clinical diagnosis.