Performance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 real-time RT-PCR tests on oral rinses and saliva samples Journal Article


Authors: Babady, N. E.; McMillen, T.; Jani, K.; Viale, A.; Robilotti, E. V.; Aslam, A.; Diver, M.; Sokoli, D.; Mason, G.; Shah, M. K.; Korenstein, D.; Kamboj, M.
Article Title: Performance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 real-time RT-PCR tests on oral rinses and saliva samples
Abstract: Access to rapid and accurate detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA is essential for controlling the current global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019. In this study, the use of oral rinses (ORs) and posterior oropharyngeal saliva as an alternative to swab collection methods from symptomatic and asymptomatic health care workers for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-PCR was evaluated. For saliva samples, the overall agreement with oropharyngeal swabs was 93% (Ƙ = 0.84), with a sensitivity of 96.7% (95% CI, 83.3%–99.8%). The agreement between saliva and nasopharyngeal swabs was 97.7% (Ƙ = 0.93), with a sensitivity of 94.1% (95% CI, 73.0%–99.7%). ORs were compared with nasopharyngeal swabs only, with an overall agreement of 85.7% (Ƙ = 0.65), and a sensitivity of 63% (95% CI, 46.6%–77.8%). The agreement between a laboratory-developed test based on the CDC RT-PCR and two commercial assays, the Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 and the Cobas SARS-CoV-2, was also evaluated. The overall agreement was >90%. Finally, SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva samples was shown to be stable, with no changes in viral loads over 24 hours at both room temperature and 4°C. Although the dilution of SARS-CoV-2 in ORs precluded its acceptability as a sample type, posterior oropharyngeal saliva was an acceptable alternative sample type for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection. © 2021 Association for Molecular Pathology and American Society for Investigative Pathology
Journal Title: Journal of Molecular Diagnostics
Volume: 23
Issue: 1
ISSN: 1525-1578
Publisher: Elsevier Science, Inc.  
Date Published: 2021-01-01
Start Page: 3
End Page: 9
Language: English
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2020.10.018
PUBMED: 33217552
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC7670901
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 4 January 2021 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Ngolela Esther Babady
    174 Babady
  2. Monika Shah
    22 Shah
  3. Mini Kamboj
    160 Kamboj
  4. Agnes Viale
    245 Viale
  5. Greg D Mason
    5 Mason
  6. Maureen Diver
    6 Diver
  7. Desiree Ann Sokoli
    10 Sokoli
  8. Anoshe A Aslam
    18 Aslam
  9. Krupa Vijaykumar Jani
    27 Jani