Würstle, S.* ; Spinner, C.D.* ; Voit, F.* ; Hoffmann, D. ; Hering, S. ; Weidlich, S.* ; Schneider, J.* ; Zink, A.* ; Treiber, M.* ; Iakoubov, R.* ; Schmid, R.M.* ; Protzer, U. ; Erber, J.*
     
    
        
Self-sampling versus health care professional-guided swab collection for SARS-CoV-2 testing.
    
    
        
    
    
        
        Infection 49, 927-934 (2021)
    
    
    
      
      
	
	    PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic reliability and practicability of self-collected oropharyngeal swab samples for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection as self-sampling could enable broader testing availability and reduce both personal protective equipment and potential exposure. METHODS: Hospitalized SARS-CoV-2-infected patients were asked to collect two oropharyngeal swabs (SC-OPS1/2), and an additional oropharyngeal swab was collected by a health care professional (HCP-OPS). SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing for samples from 58 participants was performed, with a 48-h delay in half of the self-collected samples (SC-OPS2). The sensitivity, probability of concordance, and interrater reliability were calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess predictive factors. Practicability was evaluated through a questionnaire. RESULTS: The test sensitivity for HCP-OPS, SC-OPS1, and SC-OPS2 was 88%, 78%, and 77%, respectively. Combining both SC-OPS results increased the estimated sensitivity to 88%. The concordance probability between HCP-OPS and SC-OPS1 was 77.6% and 82.5% between SC-OPS1 and SC-OPS2, respectively. Of the participants, 69% affirmed performing future self-sampling at home, and 34% preferred self-sampling over HCP-guided testing. Participants with both positive HCP-OPS1 and SC-OPS1 indicating no challenges during self-sampling had more differences in viral load levels between HCP-OPS1 and SC-OPS1 than those who indicated challenges. Increasing disease duration and the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2-IgG correlated with negative test results in self-collected samples of previously confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals. CONCLUSION: Oropharyngeal self-sampling is an applicable testing approach for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics. Self-sampling tends to be more effective in early versus late infection and symptom onset, and the collection of two distinct samples is recommended to maintain high test sensitivity.
	
	
	    
	
       
      
	
	    
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        Publication type
        Article: Journal article
    
 
    
        Document type
        Scientific Article
    
 
    
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        Keywords
        Covid-19 ; Oropharyngeal ; Sars-cov-2 ; Self-sampling ; Swab
    
 
    
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        Language
        english
    
 
    
        Publication Year
        2021
    
 
    
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        HGF-reported in Year
        2021
    
 
    
    
        ISSN (print) / ISBN
        0300-8126
    
 
    
        e-ISSN
        1439-0973
    
 
    
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	    Volume: 49,  
	    Issue: 5,  
	    Pages: 927-934 
	    Article Number: ,  
	    Supplement: ,  
	
    
 
    
        
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            Publisher
            Urban & Vogel
        
 
        
            Publishing Place
            Tiergartenstrasse 17, D-69121 Heidelberg, Germany
        
 
	
        
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        Reviewing status
        Peer reviewed
    
 
     
    
        POF-Topic(s)
        30203 - Molecular Targets and Therapies
    
 
    
        Research field(s)
        Immune Response and Infection
    
 
    
        PSP Element(s)
        G-502700-003
    
 
    
        Grants
        German Federal Ministry for Education and Science (BMBF) via the University Medicine Network Covid-19, Project B-FAST
Projekt DEAL
    
 
    
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        Erfassungsdatum
        2021-06-17