RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The clinical sensitivity of a single SARS-CoV-2 upper respiratory tract RT-PCR test for diagnosing COVID-19 using convalescent antibody as a comparator
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP clinmed.2020-0555
DO 10.7861/clinmed.2020-0555
A1 Abigail Holborow
A1 Hibo Asad
A1 Lavinia Porter
A1 Poppy Tidswell
A1 Claire Johnston
A1 Ian Blyth
A1 Alice Bone
A1 Brendan Healy
YR 2020
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/early/2020/09/10/clinmed.2020-0555.abstract
AB The clinical false negative rate of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2 on a single upper respiratory tract sample was calculated using convalescent antibody testing as a comparator. The sensitivity in symptomatic individuals was 86.2% (25/29). Of the missed cases, one (3.5%) was detected by repeat RT-PCR, one by CT thorax and two (7.1%) by convalescent antibody. The clinical false negative rate of a single RT-PCR on an upper respiratory tract sample of 14% in symptomatic patients is reassuring when compared to early reports. This report supports a strategy of combining repeat swabbing, use of acute and convalescent antibody testing and CT thorax for COVID-19 diagnosis.