A Comparison of Pharyngeal Swabs and Tracheal Secretions for the Diagnosing of COVID-19

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the test results from patients who, within a short timescale, have been tested for COVID-19 using both a pharyngeal swab and tracheal secretion. Data were collected from the database of AUH, from patients hospitalized between 1 March 2020 and 1 March 2021 who, due to symptoms of COVID-19, were tested by a pharyngeal swab and by tracheal secretion. We found great agreement between oropharyngeal swab and tracheal secretion RT-PCR testing for the diagnosis of COVID-19, with 98.5% of double tests being concordant and only 1.5% being discordant. This finding may advocate a single-test strategy being either an oropharyngeal swab RT-PCR testing or tracheal secretion, although this study revealed 15.9% false negative oropharyngeal swabs.

SARS-CoV-2 Burden in Wastewater and its Elimination Using Disinfection

“…This review concentrated on the occurrence and transmission of SARS CoV-2 in sewage and employed WBE to track the virus in the neighborhood. RNA of SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in feces, 63,64 urine, [65][66][67][68] blood, 69 respiratory secretions, [70][71][72] oropharyngeal and tracheal secretions, 65,73,74 ophthalmic and conjunctival secretions. 75,76 SARS CoV-2 is acquired via wastewater together with human waste products including feces and urine and then circulates in the sewage system.…”