Saliva Alternative to Upper Respiratory Swabs for SARS-CoV-2 Diagnosis

Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Nov;26(11):2770-2771. doi: 10.3201/eid2611.203283. Epub 2020 Sep 11.

Abstract

PCR of upper respiratory specimens is the diagnostic standard for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. However, saliva sampling is an easy alternative to nasal and throat swabbing. We found similar viral loads in saliva samples and in nasal and throat swab samples from 110 patients with coronavirus disease.

Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; COVID-19; RT-qPCR; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; coronavirus disease; diagnosis; respiratory infections; saliva; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; swabs; testing; upper respiratory swab samples; viruses; zoonoses.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / methods*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nose / virology
  • Pandemics
  • Pharynx / virology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Saliva / virology*
  • Viral Load