Do we cause false positives? An experimental series on droplet or airborne SARS-CoV-2 contamination of sampling tubes during swab collection in a test center

Abstract The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic urged immense testing capacities as one cornerstone of infection control. Many institutions opened outpatient SARS-CoV-2 test centers to allow large number of tests in comparatively short time frames. With increasing positive test ra...

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Main Authors: Thomas Scheier, Cyril Shah, Michael Huber, Hugo Sax, Barbara Hasse, Huldrych F. Günthard, Alexandra Trkola, Peter W. Schreiber
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-03-01
Series:Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-021-00920-z
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author Thomas Scheier
Cyril Shah
Michael Huber
Hugo Sax
Barbara Hasse
Huldrych F. Günthard
Alexandra Trkola
Peter W. Schreiber
author_facet Thomas Scheier
Cyril Shah
Michael Huber
Hugo Sax
Barbara Hasse
Huldrych F. Günthard
Alexandra Trkola
Peter W. Schreiber
author_sort Thomas Scheier
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic urged immense testing capacities as one cornerstone of infection control. Many institutions opened outpatient SARS-CoV-2 test centers to allow large number of tests in comparatively short time frames. With increasing positive test rates, concerns for a possible airborne or droplet contamination of specimens leading to false-positive results were raised. In our experimental series performed in a dedicated SARS-CoV-2 test center, 40 open collection tubes placed for defined time periods in proximity to individuals were found to be SARS-CoV-2 negative. These findings argue against false-positive SARS-CoV-2 results due to droplet or airborne contamination.
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spelling doaj.art-7b8286c0b2fe4fb0aa6ed631375455bb2022-12-21T22:41:03ZengBMCAntimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control2047-29942021-03-011011410.1186/s13756-021-00920-zDo we cause false positives? An experimental series on droplet or airborne SARS-CoV-2 contamination of sampling tubes during swab collection in a test centerThomas Scheier0Cyril Shah1Michael Huber2Hugo Sax3Barbara Hasse4Huldrych F. Günthard5Alexandra Trkola6Peter W. Schreiber7Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich and University of ZurichInstitute of Medical Virology, University of ZurichInstitute of Medical Virology, University of ZurichDivision of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich and University of ZurichDivision of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich and University of ZurichDivision of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich and University of ZurichInstitute of Medical Virology, University of ZurichDivision of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Zurich and University of ZurichAbstract The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic urged immense testing capacities as one cornerstone of infection control. Many institutions opened outpatient SARS-CoV-2 test centers to allow large number of tests in comparatively short time frames. With increasing positive test rates, concerns for a possible airborne or droplet contamination of specimens leading to false-positive results were raised. In our experimental series performed in a dedicated SARS-CoV-2 test center, 40 open collection tubes placed for defined time periods in proximity to individuals were found to be SARS-CoV-2 negative. These findings argue against false-positive SARS-CoV-2 results due to droplet or airborne contamination.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-021-00920-zSARS-CoV-2COVID-19False-positive test resultsContamination
spellingShingle Thomas Scheier
Cyril Shah
Michael Huber
Hugo Sax
Barbara Hasse
Huldrych F. Günthard
Alexandra Trkola
Peter W. Schreiber
Do we cause false positives? An experimental series on droplet or airborne SARS-CoV-2 contamination of sampling tubes during swab collection in a test center
Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
False-positive test results
Contamination
title Do we cause false positives? An experimental series on droplet or airborne SARS-CoV-2 contamination of sampling tubes during swab collection in a test center
title_full Do we cause false positives? An experimental series on droplet or airborne SARS-CoV-2 contamination of sampling tubes during swab collection in a test center
title_fullStr Do we cause false positives? An experimental series on droplet or airborne SARS-CoV-2 contamination of sampling tubes during swab collection in a test center
title_full_unstemmed Do we cause false positives? An experimental series on droplet or airborne SARS-CoV-2 contamination of sampling tubes during swab collection in a test center
title_short Do we cause false positives? An experimental series on droplet or airborne SARS-CoV-2 contamination of sampling tubes during swab collection in a test center
title_sort do we cause false positives an experimental series on droplet or airborne sars cov 2 contamination of sampling tubes during swab collection in a test center
topic SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
False-positive test results
Contamination
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-021-00920-z
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