Comparing Nasopharyngeal and Midturbinate Nasal Swab Testing for the Identification of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2

Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Apr 8;72(7):1253-1255. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa882.

Abstract

Testing of paired midturbinate (MT) nasal and nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs, collected by trained personnel from 40 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), showed that more NP (76/95 [80%]) than MT swabs tested positive (61/95 [64%]) (P = .02). Among samples collected a week after study enrollment, fewer MT than NP samples were positive (45% vs 76%; P = .001).

Keywords: COVID-19; midturbinate swab; nasopharyngeal; viral load.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine
  • Humans
  • Nasopharynx
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Specimen Handling