Lateral flow test performance in children for SARS-CoV-2 using anterior nasal and buccal swabbing: sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine if the sensitivity of the lateral flow test is dependent on the viral load and on the location of swabbing in the respiratory tract in children.

Design

Phase 1: Routinely performed reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) using nose and throat (NT) swabs or endotracheal (ET) aspirates were compared with Innova lateral flow tests (LFTs) using anterior nasal (AN) swabs. Phase 2: RT-PCR-positive children underwent paired AN RT-PCR and LFT and/or paired AN RT-PCR and buccal LFT.

Setting

Tertiary paediatric hospitals.

Patients

Children under the age of 18 years. Phase 1: undergoing routine testing, phase 2: known SARS-CoV-2 positive.

Results

Phase 1: 435 paired swabs taken in 431 asymptomatic patients resulted in 8 positive RT-PCRs, 9 PCR tes

SUBMITTER: Harwood R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9887373 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature