Validation of polyester nasal swabs for post-mortem SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis in Karachi, Pakistan: a prospective surveillance analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global health, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) facing unique healthcare challenges. Polyester nasal swabs stored in dry tubes have emerged as a cost-effective and scalable method for routine testing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We aimed to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among deceased individuals in an urban slum in Karachi, Pakistan, using dry and wet polyester nasal swabs, and to validate their use for post-mortem detection of the virus.

Methods

We conducted a prospective observational study from July 2022 to August 2023 in a low-income setting. We collected nasal samples from 350 deceased individuals based on community death alerts using dry polyester and wet

SUBMITTER: Allana R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12634021 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature