Validating Combination Throat-Nasal Swab Specimens for COVID-19 Tests Would Improve Early Detection, Especially for the Most Vulnerable

Alexander Viloria Winnett; Timothy Stenzel; Rustem F Ismagilov

doi:10.1093/cid/ciae381

Validating Combination Throat-Nasal Swab Specimens for COVID-19 Tests Would Improve Early Detection, Especially for the Most Vulnerable

Clin Infect Dis. 2024 Oct 15;79(4):815-818. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciae381.

Authors

Alexander Viloria Winnett^{1

2

3}, Timothy Stenzel⁴, Rustem F Ismagilov^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA.
² Division of Biology & Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA.
³ California Institute of Technology Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
⁴ Office of In Vitro Diagnostics, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.

Abstract

Early detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection by diagnostic tests can prompt actions to reduce transmission and improve treatment efficacy, especially for vulnerable groups such as immunocompromised individuals. Recent evidence suggests that sampling the throat in addition to the nose improves clinical sensitivity during early infection for both antigen and molecular coronavirus disease 2019 tests. We urge test manufacturers to validate tests for use with throat swab, in combination with nasal swabs.

Keywords: COVID-19; early detection; rapid diagnostics; specimen types; validation testing.

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Testing / methods
COVID-19* / diagnosis
Early Diagnosis
Humans
Nose* / virology
Pharynx* / virology
SARS-CoV-2* / isolation & purification
Sensitivity and Specificity
Specimen Handling* / methods

Abstract

MeSH terms

Grants and funding