Diagnostic Efficacy and Tolerability of Molded Plastic Nasopharyngeal Swab (FinSwab) Compared to Flocked Nylon Swab in Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses
ABSTRACT The supply of testing equipment is vital in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2. We compared the diagnostic efficacy and tolerability of molded plastic (FinSwab; Valukumpu, Finland) versus flocked nylon (FLOQSwab; Copan, Italy) nasopharyngeal swabs in a clinical setting. Adults (n = 112) w...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Microbiology Spectrum |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/Spectrum.00736-21 |
| _version_ | 1818940058830372864 |
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| author | Miia Laine Jaakko Ahti Ville Peltola Piritta Peri Antti J. Hakanen Matti Waris |
| author_facet | Miia Laine Jaakko Ahti Ville Peltola Piritta Peri Antti J. Hakanen Matti Waris |
| author_sort | Miia Laine |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT The supply of testing equipment is vital in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2. We compared the diagnostic efficacy and tolerability of molded plastic (FinSwab; Valukumpu, Finland) versus flocked nylon (FLOQSwab; Copan, Italy) nasopharyngeal swabs in a clinical setting. Adults (n = 112) with suspected symptomatic COVID-19 infection underwent nasopharyngeal sampling with FinSwab and FLOQSwab from the same nostril at a drive-in coronavirus testing station. In a subset of 36 patients the samples were collected in a randomized order to evaluate the discomfort associated with sampling. SARS-CoV-2 and 16 other respiratory viruses, as well as human β-actin mRNA were analyzed by using reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assays. Among the 112 patients (mean age, 38 [standard deviation (SD), 14] years) β-actin mRNA was found in all samples. There was no difference in the β-actin mRNA cycle threshold (CT) values between FinSwab (mean, 22.3; SD, 3.61) and FLOQSwab (mean, 22.1; SD, 3.50; P = 0.46) swabs. There were 31 virus-positive cases (26 rhinovirus, 4 SARS-CoV-2, and 1 coronavirus-OC43), 24 of which were positive in both swabs; 3 rhinovirus positives were only found in the FinSwab, and similarly 4 rhinovirus positives were only found in the FLOQSwab. Rhinovirus CT values were similar between swab types. Of the 36 patients, 22 (61%) tolerated the sampling with the FinSwab better than with the FLOQSwab (P = 0.065). The molded plastic nasopharyngeal swab (FinSwab) was comparable to the standard flocked swab in terms of efficacy for respiratory virus detection and tolerability of sampling. IMPORTANCE We demonstrate that a molded plastic swab is a valid alternative to conventional brush-like swabs in collection of a nasopharyngeal sample for virus diagnostics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T06:33:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-93ccc3fda386424bb44cba7224251786 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2165-0497 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T06:33:37Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microbiology Spectrum |
| spelling | doaj.art-93ccc3fda386424bb44cba72242517862022-12-21T19:50:03ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyMicrobiology Spectrum2165-04972021-10-019210.1128/Spectrum.00736-21Diagnostic Efficacy and Tolerability of Molded Plastic Nasopharyngeal Swab (FinSwab) Compared to Flocked Nylon Swab in Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory VirusesMiia Laine0Jaakko Ahti1Ville Peltola2Piritta Peri3Antti J. Hakanen4Matti Waris5Department of Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, FinlandDepartment of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, FinlandDepartment of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, FinlandDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, FinlandDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, FinlandDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, FinlandABSTRACT The supply of testing equipment is vital in controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2. We compared the diagnostic efficacy and tolerability of molded plastic (FinSwab; Valukumpu, Finland) versus flocked nylon (FLOQSwab; Copan, Italy) nasopharyngeal swabs in a clinical setting. Adults (n = 112) with suspected symptomatic COVID-19 infection underwent nasopharyngeal sampling with FinSwab and FLOQSwab from the same nostril at a drive-in coronavirus testing station. In a subset of 36 patients the samples were collected in a randomized order to evaluate the discomfort associated with sampling. SARS-CoV-2 and 16 other respiratory viruses, as well as human β-actin mRNA were analyzed by using reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assays. Among the 112 patients (mean age, 38 [standard deviation (SD), 14] years) β-actin mRNA was found in all samples. There was no difference in the β-actin mRNA cycle threshold (CT) values between FinSwab (mean, 22.3; SD, 3.61) and FLOQSwab (mean, 22.1; SD, 3.50; P = 0.46) swabs. There were 31 virus-positive cases (26 rhinovirus, 4 SARS-CoV-2, and 1 coronavirus-OC43), 24 of which were positive in both swabs; 3 rhinovirus positives were only found in the FinSwab, and similarly 4 rhinovirus positives were only found in the FLOQSwab. Rhinovirus CT values were similar between swab types. Of the 36 patients, 22 (61%) tolerated the sampling with the FinSwab better than with the FLOQSwab (P = 0.065). The molded plastic nasopharyngeal swab (FinSwab) was comparable to the standard flocked swab in terms of efficacy for respiratory virus detection and tolerability of sampling. IMPORTANCE We demonstrate that a molded plastic swab is a valid alternative to conventional brush-like swabs in collection of a nasopharyngeal sample for virus diagnostics.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/Spectrum.00736-21COVID-19nasopharyngeal swabplastic injection moldingrespiratory viruses |
| spellingShingle | Miia Laine Jaakko Ahti Ville Peltola Piritta Peri Antti J. Hakanen Matti Waris Diagnostic Efficacy and Tolerability of Molded Plastic Nasopharyngeal Swab (FinSwab) Compared to Flocked Nylon Swab in Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses Microbiology Spectrum COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab plastic injection molding respiratory viruses |
| title | Diagnostic Efficacy and Tolerability of Molded Plastic Nasopharyngeal Swab (FinSwab) Compared to Flocked Nylon Swab in Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses |
| title_full | Diagnostic Efficacy and Tolerability of Molded Plastic Nasopharyngeal Swab (FinSwab) Compared to Flocked Nylon Swab in Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses |
| title_fullStr | Diagnostic Efficacy and Tolerability of Molded Plastic Nasopharyngeal Swab (FinSwab) Compared to Flocked Nylon Swab in Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diagnostic Efficacy and Tolerability of Molded Plastic Nasopharyngeal Swab (FinSwab) Compared to Flocked Nylon Swab in Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses |
| title_short | Diagnostic Efficacy and Tolerability of Molded Plastic Nasopharyngeal Swab (FinSwab) Compared to Flocked Nylon Swab in Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses |
| title_sort | diagnostic efficacy and tolerability of molded plastic nasopharyngeal swab finswab compared to flocked nylon swab in detection of sars cov 2 and other respiratory viruses |
| topic | COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab plastic injection molding respiratory viruses |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/Spectrum.00736-21 |
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