Boosting test-efficiency by pooled testing for SARS-CoV-2-Formula for optimal pool size.

ABSTRACT: In the current COVID19 crisis many national healthcare systems are confronted with an acute shortage of tests for confirming SARS-CoV-2 infections. For low overall infection levels in the population the pooling of samples can drastically amplify the testing capacity. Here we present a formula to estimate the optimal group-size for pooling, the efficiency gain (tested persons per test), and the expected upper bound of missed infections in pooled testing, all as a function of the population-wide infection levels and the false negative/positive rates of the currently used PCR tests. Assuming an infection level of 0.1% and a false negative rate of 2%, the optimal pool-size is about 34, and an efficiency gain of about 15 tested persons per test is possible. For an infection level of 1% the opti

SUBMITTER: Hanel R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7641378 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature