The potential of SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detection tests in the screening of asymptomatic persons

• Verfasst von: Wachinger, Jonas [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Olaru, Ioana D. [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Horner, Susanne [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Schnitzler, Paul [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Heeg, Klaus [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Denkinger, Claudia M. [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: The potential of SARS-CoV-2 antigen-detection tests in the screening of asymptomatic persons
• Verf.angabe: Jonas Wachinger, Ioana Diana Olaru, Susanne Horner, Paul Schnitzler, Klaus Heeg, Claudia M. Denkinger
• E-Jahr: 2021
• Jahr: 26 July 2021
• Umfang: 3 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 05.01.2022
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Clinical microbiology and infection
• Ort Quelle: Oxford : Elsevier, 1995
• Jahr Quelle: 2021
• Band/Heft Quelle: 27(2021), 11, Seite 1700.e1-1700.e3
• ISSN Quelle: 1469-0691
• DOI: doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2021.07.020
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• Sach-SW: Ag-RDTs
• Sach-SW: Diagnostic yield
• Sach-SW: Positive predictive value
• Sach-SW: SARS-CoV-2
• Sach-SW: Screening
• K10plus-PPN: 1784823716

Abstract

Objectives - The aim was to assess the performance of antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) for SARS CoV-2 when implemented for large-scale universal screening of asymptomatic individuals. - Methods - This study was a pragmatic implementation study for universal Ag-RDT-based screening at a tertiary care hospital in Germany where patients presenting for elective procedures and selected personnel without symptoms suggestive of SARS-CoV-2 were screened with an Ag-RDT since October 2020. Test performance was calculated on an individual patient level. - Results - In total, 49 542 RDTs were performed in 27 421 asymptomatic individuals over a duration of 5 and a half months. Out of 222 positive results, 196 underwent in-house confirmatory testing with PCR, out of which 170 were confirmed positive, indicating a positive predictive value of 86.7% (95% CI 81.2-91.1%). Negative Ag-RDTs were not routinely tested with PCR, but a total of 94 cases of false negative Ag-RDTs were detected due to PCR tests being performed within the following 5 days with a median cycle threshold value of 33 (IQR 29-35). - Discussion - This study provides evidence that Ag-RDTs can have a high diagnostic yield for transmission relevant infections with limited false positives when utilized at the point of care on asymptomatic patients and thus can be a suitable public health test for universal screening.