Pooling of samples to optimise SARS-CoV-2 detection in nasopharyngeal swabs and gargle lavage self-samples for covid-19 diagnostics and surveillance.

Autor:	Bouska O; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic., Koudelakova V; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic.; Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic., Gurska S; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic., Kubanova K; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic., Slavkovsky R; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic., Jaworek H; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic.; Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic., Vrbkova J; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic., Dzubak P; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic., Hajduch M; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic.; Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Infectious diseases (London, England) [Infect Dis (Lond)] 2024 Jul; Vol. 56 (7), pp. 531-542. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Mar 29.
DOI:	10.1080/23744235.2024.2333438
Abstrakt:	Background: Testing of pooled samples is an effective strategy for increasing testing capacity while saving resources and time. This study aimed to validate pooled testing and gather real-life data on its use for Covid-19 surveillance with a gargle lavage (GL) self-sampling strategy. Methods: Two-stage pooled testing with pools of 6 and 12 samples was used for preventive testing of an asymptomatic population and Covid-19 surveillance in Czech schools. Both GL and nasopharyngeal swabs were used for sampling. Results: In total, 61,111 samples were tested. The use of pooled testing for large-scale Covid-19 surveillance reduced consumable costs by almost 75% and increased testing capacity up to 3.8-fold compared to standard methods. RT-PCR experiments revealed a minimal loss of sensitivity (0-2.2%) when using pooled samples, enabling the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genes with Ct values >35. The minor loss of sensitivity was counterbalanced by a significantly increased throughput and the ability to substantially increase testing frequencies. Conclusions: Pooled testing is considerably more cost-effective and less time-consuming than standard testing for large-scale Covid-19 surveillance even when the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 is fluctuating. Gargle lavage self-sampling is a non-invasive technique suitable for sample collection without a healthcare worker's assistance.
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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